PROPOSED changes to Syria’s school curriculum have added to growing concerns over the direction being taken by the new regime, with evolution among subjects that will no longer be taught.

The foreign ministers of France and Germany visited Damascus to court the new jihadist-led authorities.

On Thursday, the Education Ministry of Syria’s transitional government posted a new all-age-group curriculum on social media.

Changes include dropping references to evolution and the Big Bang theory in science classes and playing down references to the gods worshipped in Syria before the emergence of Islam.

Education Minister Nazir al-Qadri said the curriculum would remain largely unchanged until specialised committees had carried out a review.

He added that the only instructions that he had issued were related to the removal of content that glorifies the “defunct Assad regime,” the installation of the Syrian revolutionary flag in all textbooks and the correction of “inaccuracies” in the Islamic education curriculum.

But critics inside the country have called for protests ahead of the new school term, which begins on Sunday.

They fear that a national dialogue conference planned by the new regime will be pointless, since decisions have already been reached.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot travelled to Damascus today to send what Ms Baerbock said would be a clear signal that a “political new beginning” between Europe and Syria is possible.

They were expected to meet Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the jihadist group that toppled president Bashar al- Assad and representatives of Syrian civil society.

Ms Baerbock said there could be a “new beginning” only if the new Syrian authorities give everyone, regardless of ethnic or religious group, “a place in the political process” as well as rights and protection.