Al-Hijri rejects a UN initiative to solve the crisis of the exams of Sweida students
On Monday, June 1st, a delegation from the United Nations met with the spiritual head of the Druze Unitarian sect, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, at his home in the town of Canals in the countryside of Sweida in an attempt to open a way out of the crisis of the preparatory and secondary certificate exams that has been ravaging the province for weeks.
The UN delegation presented a UN accompaniment initiative that includes "the United Nations and its affiliated organizations taking responsibility for protecting students and securing their logistical transport from Sweida to the Damascus countryside", in an attempt to dispel security concerns that some invoke.
The delegation explained that the recognition and issuance of official certificates is not the prerogative of the United Nations, but rather "the exclusive competence of the Syrian government in accordance with the UN resolutions regulating the educational process."
Al-Hijri rejects UN initiative
Sources following up on the results of the meeting told "Syrian News" that Sheikh Al-Hijri rejected the UN initiative and insisted on his position rejecting the transfer of students outside the governorate, stressing the need to hold exams inside Sweida and not allow the educational file to be turned into a "pressure card or a political arena", as he put it.
Al-Hijri stressed that protecting students and ensuring their right to education within their safe environment is a "red line" for the people of the governorate and its activities.
The Ministry of Education refuses to hold the exam for the two certificates inside Sweida
On May 14, 2026 , the Ministry of Education issued a decision to hold the exams for the basic and secondary education certificates in all its branches for the 2026 session for the children of Sweida governorate in the governorates of Damascus and Rural Damascus.
The Ministry justified its decision in a statement published through its official IDs that it comes in implementation of its duties to preserve the right of students to apply for the general certificate exams and in terms of the examination process requires a safe and fair environment and educational requirements to conduct them.
According to this decision, about 17,000 students from Sweida must be transferred to temporary exam centers in the Damascus countryside, which was widely rejected by parents and local activists for fear of exposing students to security risks while traveling, according to them.
The refusal turned into a field action, with local factions — including the Shahba operations room and the Hijri National Guard — blocking roads and preventing buses from leaving the governorate.
Sweida Governorate announces its readiness to transfer certificate students to Damascus countryside
In addition , the governorate of Suwayda announced the provision of transportation for all the people of the governorate, including students of the secondary and preparatory certificates, to their exam centers, while providing all the necessary logistical and security measures to ensure their arrival at their centers on time, in cooperation with the concerned organizations, in order to ensure the smooth and smooth conduct of the exam process.
In a statement published on its official IDs, the governorate confirmed that it is ready to provide full support to students wishing to stay overnight in the areas of (Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafieh) and to secure all their needs, to provide a comfortable and safe environment that qualifies them to successfully take their exams, in cooperation with organizations.
The Ministry of Education issues the distribution lists of Sweida students in exam centers in Damascus countryside
Earlier today, the Ministry of Education announced the issuance of the final distribution lists for students in Sweida governorate who are applying for the exams of the basic education and secondary certificates in all its branches, and who will take their exams at the accredited exam centers in the Damascus countryside.
The Ministry confirmed that all the necessary arrangements have been completed to facilitate students' access to the exam halls, as each student will find his exam card pre-placed on his seat inside the hall, which ensures the smooth procedures and their quick entry to the exam halls.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Rahman Turko, and the Governor of Sweida Mustafa Al-Bakour also toured the accredited examination centers, to review their readiness and ensure the completion of the technical and logistical equipment.