Syriac Studies Director-General Imad Salem Jijo visits Education Channel to further expand education television in Syriac language

BAGHDAD  – Imad Salem Jijo, Director-General of Syriac Studies, on Monday visited the Directorate of Iraq’s Educational Channel at the Educational Ministry in Baghdad, where he met with official Zainab Walid ‘Ashour. Imad Salem Jijo was accompanied by Florence Behnam, Director of the the Syriac Study’s Supervision and Training Department, and Ann Andraos, Director of Curriculum and Techniques Department.

The representatives of both directorates discussed further cooperation mechanisms that serve the teaching of the Syriac language, in particular the increase in broadcasting of school lessons through the Iraqi Educational Channel in the Syriac language and Christian religious education for all levels of primary education, as well as recording new educational lessons for the newly compiled curriculum for reading in the Syriac language for the sixth grade. According to the Ishar TV website, the discussion also addressed the possibilities of recording educational lessons in the Syriac language for the first three grades of primary school through a puppet show series prepared and performed by educational staff of the General Directorate of Syriac Studies.

In Iraq, Arabic and Kurdish are the two official languages. The Syriac language is a recognized language and is taught at schools in areas with a larger Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian presence. The Directorate of Syriac Studies is part of the Iraqi Ministry of Education and is tasked with the official organization of the Syriac language curriculum, educating teachers, setting up Syriac study plans and teaching methods etc.

Education Channel’s broadcasting is maintained by the Iraqi Ministry of Education to provide lessons in Arabic and Kurdish, and in recognized languages such as the Syriac language. Through TV recordings and via the Newton digital learning platform, educational training, material, and development courses are offered to tens of millions of children and youth.

With regards to the recognized status of the Syriac language in Iraq, the official Iraqi Media Network owned by the Ministry of Information in mid-2019 launched satellite TV channel IRAQIA SYRIAC (قناة العراقية السريانية or al-Iraqia al-Syrian). The opening of IRAQIA SYRIAC was already approved in 2014 but only started operating last year due to government deficits in its financial budget. IRAQIA SYRIAC, together with e.g. IRAQIA KURD and IRAQIA TURKUMEN, is part of the national media landscape and reflects the social and religious composition and values of Iraqi society.