Mar Ephrem School in Baghdede, Iraq, thrives with 400 students learning Syriac language

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — Students at the Mar Ephrem School in the Nineveh Plains town of Baghdede (Qaraqosh / Hamdaniyah), Iraq, have shown remarkable progress in mastering the Syriac language, excelling in reading, writing, and grammar during the annual summer program organized by the school.

The program, dedicated to teaching the Syriac language, began its activities at the start of August and is set to celebrate the graduation of approximately 400 students in early September. These students are organized into 12 different sections.

Syriac Catholic Deacon Issam Yaqo, speaking about the school’s history, explained that the Mar Ephrem School was established in 2018 under the auspices of the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Mosul. This initiative followed the return of Baghdede’s residents to their homes after the town was liberated from the Islamic State (ISIS).

Yaqo emphasized that the school provides primary students with lessons in the Syriac language using the same textbooks employed in government schools. He also praised the dedication of Syriac language teachers who, despite their professional commitments, volunteer their time to teach at Mar Ephrem without compensation.

The Syriac language, in both its eastern and western dialects, is included in the Iraqi government school curriculum. This subject is offered specifically to Christian students in schools where they form the majority.