Ministry of Energy to Close Vocational Oil Schools Starting 2026
The Syrian Minister of Energy, Mohammad Al-Bashir, has officially announced the closure of vocational oil schools under the ministry’s jurisdiction. The decision affects facilities located in Homs, Baniyas, Deir ez-Zor, and Rmelan, as well as the vocational schools specializing in geology and mining. The closures are set to take effect from the 2026/2027 academic year.
According to the official directive, all teaching and administrative staff currently employed at these schools will be transferred to institutes operating under the Ministry of Energy. Similarly, the physical assets of these schools will be reassigned to the ministry’s oil-related institutes. The ministry has confirmed that it is coordinating with the Ministry of Education to manage the transition for currently enrolled students, ensuring that their educational progress remains uninterrupted.
Mohammad Ishaq, Director of the Vocational Education and Training Directorate at the Ministry of Energy, explained the rationale behind the decision. He noted that the rapidly evolving landscape of Syria’s oil, gas, geology, and mining sectors has introduced significant technical and professional challenges. Traditional technical schools, he argued, have become insufficient in meeting the contemporary requirements of the labor market and addressing the growing skills gap within these vital industries.
The ministry intends to replace these traditional schools with more specialized alternatives. This strategy involves strengthening the role of oil-focused technical institutes, upgrading their infrastructure, and introducing new curricula aligned with modern technological advancements. Through these measures, the ministry aims to enhance the quality of educational outcomes and ensure that vocational training is directly linked to labor market needs in accordance with international standards.
Furthermore, Ishaq revealed plans for the establishment of an “Energy Academy.” The academy will be headquartered in Homs and will feature four subsidiary centers located in Rmelan, Deir ez-Zor, Baniyas, and Haritan, all designed to bolster specialized vocational training.
Regarding the status of students currently enrolled in the affected schools, Ishaq stated that the ministry has collaborated with the Ministry of Education to catalog students across all three grade levels. Students will be offered the opportunity to submit three preferences to secure placement in a comparable program for the current academic year or to transition into general secondary education across various specializations. This coordination is intended to protect the students’ academic careers from being disrupted by the implementation of this new organizational policy.
This announcement follows the August 16th release of results for the final examinations of the vocational oil and mining schools, which was conducted as part of the standard procedures to conclude the previous academic year.
