Delegation from Olaf Taw Association for Syriac Language meets directors of Syriac Education in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

ERBIL, Iraq — A delegation from the Olaf Taw Association for Syriac Language visited the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and met there with a number of officials of the Syriac Education Directorate there. The two sides discussed the status of Syriac education in Syria and the need for all interested parties to work to achieve the collective interests of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people and develop the capabilities of educational institutions and improve the education process. The need to increase education in mother tongues, especially Syriac, is the cornerstone of preserving national existence and identity, they said.

The delegation included the Olaf Taw official Jacqueline Saliba and members of the administrative body of the institution. They met with the Director General of Syriac Education in the KRI, Nizar Hanna Boutros, retired educational advisor Father Isha Daoud, Director of Syriac Education — Elementary Level Sabah Anton, and retired Syriac supervisor Nader Moshe Murad.

During the meeting, the status and level of education in the Syriac language in the region and the situation of students in schools from primary to high school was discussed. The situation of post-high school institutes and universities were also covered, with Nizar Boutros speaking about the success achieved by the Directorate over the past two decades in increasing education in the Syriac language.

The two parties also discussed their experiences in the educational process, whether in Iraq or Syria, in terms of composing Syriac curricula or preparing teachers, in addition to the difficulties they faced whether in terms of material and logistics or accuracy of content.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the two parties agreed to develop their relations for the service of teaching and developing the Syriac language and conduct joint work in the future.