Syria to teach Russian language in schools
Syrian school students will be able to pick Russian as a second foreign language starting next academic year, the war-torn country’s education authorities said, according to RIA Novosti.
English is the mandatory first foreign language currently taught to children in schools in the Arabic country.
Students can add French as a second language in the fifth grade. France controlled Syria in 1923-1943.
But now Russian will be available as an alternative to French, the Syrian Minister of Education, Hazwane al-Wazz, was cited Sunday by the ministry’s website as saying.
The statement did not elaborate on the reasons for the decision beyond saying that students will be responsible for building “the future of the nation.”