Rapid Review: Education, Peacebuilding, and Social Cohesion to Inform Syria’s Education Sector 

 Education can be a powerful lever for both social cohesion and peacebuilding in conflict-affected societies like Syria. Social cohesion through schools refers to positive interpersonal relations between students, a sense of belonging of all students and group solidarity. It is a multidimensional construct, and education policymakers and researchers may focus on specific domains within this concept that foster trust, tolerance, and a shared identity among students through inclusive learning. Education for peacebuilding deliberately addresses conflict root causes, promotes reconciliation, and supports broader peace processes. These objectives are equally critical and mutually reinforcing: social cohesion activities such as inter-group contact and inclusive curricula can lay the groundwork for sustainable peace, while peacebuilding initiatives directly address conflict-sensitive reforms and/or peace education programmes that help solidify social cohesion gains. 

This rapid review synthesises scholarly evidence and contextual insights to inform the design and implementation of past, existing, and prospective educational programming in Syria. Lessons from comparable contexts, including but not limited to, Lebanon, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Northern Ireland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Rwanda and South Sudan are presented to help inform Syria’s Education sector priorities in its current, post-conflict state.