Education Ministry replaces counselor with supervisor

The Syrian Ministry of Education decided to restructure the work in schools, issuing a decree in August 2026 that changed the title of "School Psychologist" to "Activities Supervisor." The new role assigns both counseling and psychological tasks, along with organizational and administrative duties such as monitoring discipline and safety. This decision sparked controversy among specialists, who argued that converting the role into a general administrative position could weaken the psychological support provided by counselors and diminish the importance of their specialized field—especially given the increasing need for mental health support for students, particularly in light of the ongoing effects of war and displacement. They also warned that focusing on supervisory and organizational tasks might affect the trust-based relationship between students and their counselors and reduce the professionals' ability to deliver effective psychological support. Advocates called for improving the counselors' performance through training and professional development, emphasizing that their roles should not be reduced solely to administrative and organizational tasks, in order to maintain the effectiveness of mental health services in schools.

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