Cleaning House

Syria’s new Islamist-led government is facing scrutiny for controversial curriculum changes, crackdowns on Assad loyalists, and delays in organizing a national dialogue conference, raising concerns about transparency and inclusivity as the country rebuilds following the deposing of President Bashar Assad last month, Reuters reported.

Since seizing control in December, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has established a caretaker government to manage basic services until March 1.

Last week, the transitional government unveiled a revised school curriculum emphasizing an Islamic perspective and erasing references to the Assad regime, the BBC added.

Changes included replacing the phrase “Defending the nation” with “Defending Allah,” omitting evolution and the Big Bang theory, as well as sidelining historical figures, such as Queen Zenobia of the ancient pre-Syrian Palymene empire.

Education Minister Nazir al-Qadri defended the revisions, claiming they target only glorification of the Assad family and “inaccuracies” in Islamic teachings. While some Syrians have welcomed the changes, others countered that these unilateral actions undermine inclusivity.

Critics and civil society advocates described the changes as a sign that the voices of Syria’s groups and communities are not being heard.

The curriculum controversy comes as Syria’s new government intensified efforts to consolidate power by cracking down on Assad loyalists.

On Thursday, security forces led by HTS detained more than 100 militia members and former Assad soldiers during raids in Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, according to the Associated Press.

The operation involved door-to-door searches, weapon confiscations, and identity checks, with residents reporting mixed reactions. HTS has established voluntary disarmament centers nationwide since Assad fled to Russia on Dec. 8, but concerns linger about heavy-handed tactics and the government’s ability to ensure stability.

Meanwhile, dozens of protesters gathered in the southern city of Douma to demand answers about the 2013 abduction of four prominent activists, including human rights advocate Razan Zaitouneh, the Voice of America noted.

Demonstrators called for transparent investigations and justice, while the transitional government has remained neutral regarding allegations against various armed groups in the disappearance of activist figures.

Ahmed Sharaa, head of HTS, has promised an inclusive political process to draft a constitution within three years, followed by elections in four years.

But the new government has yet to finalize plans for a highly anticipated national dialogue conference meant to chart the country’s post-Assad future. The conference, a key pledge of the HTS-led government, aims to bring together 1,200 delegates from Syria’s religious, ethnic, and political spectrum to address issues, such as parliamentary suspension and drafting a new constitution.

Despite ongoing pledges, opposition figures remain skeptical.

Bassam Al-Kuwatli, president of the Syrian Liberal Party, criticized HTS’s lack of urgency in sharing power, saying the new government “is still a military group that won power and doesn’t feel a need yet to share that power.”