Education & Health
From The Report: Syria 2026
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Reconstruction has laid solid foundations for the revitalisation of Syria’s education and health care sectors, setting the stage for a new chapter of growth and opportunity. Building on this early momentum, the government is working to design comprehensive sectoral reforms, drawing on international best practices to ensure lasting impact. While realising the full potential of these sectors will likely require sustained support from global partners, Syria’s broader drive towards political stability and economic growth is expected to create fertile ground for progress. Digital tools are creating ways to expand access to learning, while restoration to infrastructure and services continues.

This chapter features insights from Raed Mahmoud, Nadine Chaoui and Jihad Massoud.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Rebuilding human potential: Reconstruction efforts focus on restoring infrastructure, expanding access and developing the workforce
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Reconstruction has laid solid foundations for the revitalisation of Syria’s education and health care sectors, setting the stage for a new chapter of growth and opportunity. Building on this early momentum, the government is working to design comprehensive sectoral reforms, drawing on international best practices to ensure lasting impact. While realising the full potential of these sectors will likely require sustained support from global partners, Syria’s broader drive towards political stability and economic growth is expected to create fertile ground for progress. Structure & Oversight The education sector is overseen by the Ministry…

Interview

Preparing the next generation: Raed Mahmoud, Regional Director, Sabis, on creating learning environments to navigate an uncertain future
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Interview:Raed Mahmoud, Regional Director, Sabis, on creating learning environments to navigate an uncertain future What role can private and international education play as Syria rebuilds educational capacity and seeks to bring skilled families back? RAED MAHMOUD: Private education has an essential supporting role in any country and it is particularly relevant in Syria at a time when the public system is working to rebuild and restore capacity. It should complement rather than substitute…

Analysis

The metaverse in education: Building a digital landscape in institutes of higher learning
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In a bid to expand access, education is increasingly exploring the possibilities of the metaverse and extended-reality (XR) approaches. The former comprises a range of technologies that immerse users in a virtual environment. It denotes a 3D medium that combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into a new digital realm, sometimes known as XR. These environments are accessed through VR headsets and are typically immersive, interactive and social. Expanding Access The world’s leading tech companies are investing heavily in XR. In 2021 Facebook rebranded as Meta, indicating how important it believes XR will become. Indeed, following…

Interview

Specialised needs: Nadine Chaoui, Managing Director, Al Inaya Drugstore, on meeting medical demands and supplier confidence
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Interview:Nadine Chaoui, Managing Director, Al Inaya Drugstore, on meeting medical demands and supplier confidence How would you describe the current operating environment for pharmaceutical imports in Syria? NADINE CHAOUI: The pharmaceutical sector is operating through a period of significant adjustment. The main challenge is not the absence of demand but the need for clear, consistent and workable mechanisms that allow legitimate suppliers to provide essential medicines. For companies representing…

Analysis

Virtual visits: Adopting health tech to close the care gap in emerging markets
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After a surge in uptake during the Covid-19 pandemic, the telehealth industry is courting new investment to further innovation and increase access to care in emerging markets. Digital health companies raised a record $57.2bn in global venture capital funding in 2021, a 79% jump from the $32bn raised in 2020, with 30% of the total directed towards telehealth. An estimated $140bn in private sector finance will be needed annually between 2015 and 2030 to realise the UN’s health-related Sustainable Development Goals, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, underscoring the importance of boosting spending commitments in the global…

Interview

Regaining competitiveness: Jihad Massoud, CEO of Massoud Pharma Group, on improving logistics and procurement, and reopening banking channels
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Interview:Jihad Massoud, CEO of Massoud Pharma Group, on improving logistics and procurement, and reopening banking channels How would you assess Syria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity? JIHAD MASSOUD: Even before the crisis, pharmaceuticals were a strategically important sector in Syria. The country had 30-40 manufacturing facilities supplying not only the domestic market but exporting across the region, including to Iraq, Sudan and Yemen. Syrian pharmaceuticals were respected for…