The prestigious Al-Hurriya Institute in Damascus, formerly known as the Laïque Institute, has sparked outrage among Syrians after the once-secular school announced plans earlier this week to segregate students based on their gender in a now-apparently deleted Facebook post.
The secular French school, established by the Mission Française in Syria during the mandate, said that the segregation plans would go ahead “to avoid some of the problems that occurred previously.”
“We ask God Almighty for guidance and success in what is best for our children,” the secular school posted.
Critics claim the policy is a sign of Syria's Islamist future
“Similar spaces” have been constructed for female students, the school said, adding that the students would remain separated both in the classrooms and on the playgrounds.
The move has sparked concern among teachers, who fear that they will need to teach the same lessons twice, and among parents angered that the school has not focused on infrastructure improvements, according to the Syrian Observer.
Critics of the change have complained online that segregating the school is a sign of the country’s Islamist future.