Syriac schools in Iraq: Between aspiration and challenges
IRAQ — The Syriac language in Iraq continues to face challenges related to education and preserving its presence in society, despite the spread of dozens of schools teaching the language across several regions, alongside efforts by churches and cultural institutions to support Syriac education and pass it on to future generations.
Atlal Salem, Head of the Syriac Language Department at the College of Humanities at the University of Mosul, said there are more than 100 schools providing instruction in Syriac across Nineveh, Kerkeslokh (Kirkuk), and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
Speaking to Al-Mada newspaper, Salem said Syriac-language teachers in these schools are graduates of disciplines other than Syriac and undergo training courses lasting no more than 20 days before being appointed as teachers, unlike graduates of the Arabic and English language departments.
For her part, Lina Wilson, a teacher in the department, said the Syriac language is widely spoken in the districts of Baghdede (Qaraqosh) and Tel Kaif, as well as the subdistricts of Alqosh, Bashiqa, and Baritle (Bartella), in addition to several villages in Nohadra (Duhok) and Zakho, and the towns of Ankawa and Shaqlawa in Arba’ilo (Erbil).
Wilson highlighted the role of churches and Christian institutes in preserving the Syriac language and passing it on to future generations through summer courses. She said these efforts have helped prevent the language from disappearing, alongside its continued use in religious liturgy and scripture readings.
In the same context, Omar Jassam, head of the Lamassu Foundation for Heritage and Culture, said public awareness of Syriac culture remains limited. He noted that knowledge of the culture is often confined to Syriac speakers, while non-speakers generally have little familiarity with it because they are unable to read or write the language.
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Jassam said the foundation is working to highlight Iraq’s cultural heritage, including the Syriac language, and raise public awareness of the challenges it faces in preserving its presence and ensuring its continuity.
Despite these challenges, Jassam said he does not believe the Syriac language is at risk of extinction. Instead, he stressed that it requires greater support, increased attention, and improvements in the quality of its teaching and everyday use to ensure its survival and transmission to future generations.