The changes were welcomed by some Syrians.
But the move has raised alarm among civil society activists, many of whom have returned to Syria for the first time in years.
They fear it is a sign that their voices – and the voices of groups and communities across the country – may not be heard as the country evolves under new leadership.
There have already been calls for protests ahead of the start of the new school term on Sunday.
Activists want to make clear their opposition to any move by the transitional government to make changes to the education system – or any other public institution – without involving all sections of Syrian society.
The new government took great care to hold the National Dialogue Conference.
Officials held meetings with various communities – from Christians to Kurds, to artists and intellectuals.
The message was that they want to create a new Syria with participation from all walks of life so that everyone has a stake in the country’s future.
But activists believe that unilateral changes to the school curriculum undermine those promises, and want to defend from the start the values of freedom and integration that have now made possible the removal of Bashar al-Assad.
