Over four million students returned to school on Sunday to mark a new academic year in Syria, the first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The ministry of education said in a statement that 4.2 million students are now enrolled across 12,000 schools around the country. Ahead of the school year, preparations were underway to upkeep school buildings, including improving classroom furniture, as well as campaigns for water and sanitation facilities. "Students were welcomed at schools, where they received their textbooks," Ayman Yassin, Damascus’ education director, said in a statement. Syria's new government, under Ahmed al-Sharaa, is facing a variety of challanges since the fall of Assad, including adressing bouts of violence, the economy and security.