DAMASCUS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 4 million students across Syria returned to school on Sunday as the new academic year began, for the first time in more than a decade under a unified national calendar and education framework, according to Syria's education authorities and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Sunday.

The education authorities said in a statement, published by the state-run SANA news agency, that about 4.2 million students were enrolled in 12,000 schools nationwide. In the capital Damascus alone, some 250,000 students attended around 700 schools.

In a separate statement, UNICEF described the unified calendar as a step toward "a more cohesive and inclusive learning environment" in the war-torn country, adding that the UN agency, in partnership with Syria's education authorities, is supporting the "Back-to-Learning" campaign to help ensure children's right to education.

"The unified school calendar is a historic step towards equity, stability, and long-term learning pathways. We must seize this moment to reach every child, especially those who have been left behind," Meritxell Relano Arana, UNICEF representative in Syria, said in the statement.

The education authorities said that preparations for the new academic year included maintenance of school buildings, provision of classroom furniture, upgrading of water and sanitation facilities, and disinfection campaigns to secure a safe learning environment.

Despite these efforts, about 40 percent of schools nationwide remain in need of reconstruction or rehabilitation after years of conflict, with projects underway to expand access to safe and fully equipped classrooms, the authorities added.

Meanwhile, more than 2.4 million children remain out of school, while over 1 million are at risk of dropping out across the country, according to UNICEF. ■