Syrian ministries work to reinstate employees dismissed under Assad

Syrian ministries have begun coordinating efforts to reinstate thousands of public sector employees, particularly teachers, who were dismissed under the now-ousted Bashar Al-Assad regime, local media reported.

The initiative was discussed during an official meeting between Minister of Administrative Development Mohammed Hassan al-Skaf and Minister of Education Mohammed Turko, where the two agreed to establish a coordinated mechanism to facilitate the return of dismissed staff to their former roles.

The proposed mechanism involves dismissed individuals reporting to their local education directorates, where their professional background, geographical location, school needs, and areas of expertise will be assessed before reinstatement.

Minister al-Skaf noted that the Administrative Development Ministry is continuing to review dismissal cases - including those not yet formally recorded - to prepare them for evaluation.

The two ministries also discussed launching a joint workshop to restructure the Ministry of Education in line with broader administrative reform goals. Enhancing cooperation on training and professional development to improve institutional performance was also on the agenda.

Since Assad's ouster in December, which marked the end of a regime known for its crackdown on dissent, the new Syrian government has already reinstated more than 14,000 teachers who were previously dismissed for participating in anti-government protests.

Both ministries urged educators whose names appear on reinstatement lists to report to their respective directorates and complete the necessary administrative procedures to resume work.

In a parallel move, the Syrian foreign ministry has launched an initiative inviting diplomats who defected from the Assad regime to reconnect with authorities and participate in rebuilding the country’s diplomatic corps.

The ministry issued an official statement on Monday praising these diplomats for the "great national role they played by defecting from the former regime and standing by their people and their just cause".

The statement emphasised the government’s commitment to preserving and documenting this history and recognising the diplomats’ potential contribution to a "new Syria".

As part of the initiative, former diplomats are instructed to fill out an online form, available until 31 May. The data will be used to facilitate coordination and future communication in line with national interests.

Following the 2011 uprising, numerous Syrian ambassadors and consuls defected in protest against the Assad regime’s violent repression of demonstrators. Many were forced to abandon their posts and go into exile.

The government’s efforts to reintegrate both dismissed civil servants and defected diplomats come amid a broader transitional phase under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who has vowed to restore state institutions, rebuild the economy, and improve international relations after over a decade of turmoil.