0:00:02 > 0:00:03Damascus, Syria.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06The oldest capital city on Earth.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08In the heart of the Arab world.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Following a year in the lives of four schools in Damascus,
0:00:15 > 0:00:17we look at Syria's next generation.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19What is life really like
0:00:19 > 0:00:22in this high-pressure crossroads of the Middle East?
0:00:22 > 0:00:24HE SPEAKS ARABIC
0:00:25 > 0:00:27There are signs that Syria is opening up,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30but it remains dominated by a single party,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and Syrians have limited political freedom.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40In this programme, it's time for the country's nationwide search
0:00:40 > 0:00:43to find Syria's brightest and best primary school students.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Thousands of pupils will battle it out
0:00:46 > 0:00:49over three hard-fought rounds of competition
0:00:49 > 0:00:51to become National Pioneers.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57At Mleiha Primary School for Boys,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Imad hopes he's in with a chance.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05And his head teacher Soha expects only the very best.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14At Jaramana Middle School, older boy Ward has his own challenge.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17He's been picked to represent his country
0:01:17 > 0:01:21in one of the toughest international chess tournaments in the world.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38It's first break at Benin Jaramana Middle School.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43SHOUTING AND TALKING
0:01:43 > 0:01:48500 boys, aged between 11 and 15, get a chance to let off steam in the school yard
0:01:48 > 0:01:51before returning to class.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55BELL RINGS
0:01:55 > 0:01:57HE SPEAKS ARABIC
0:01:57 > 0:02:00THEY SPEAK ARABIC
0:02:04 > 0:02:0913-year-old Ward Tarboush is in his second year at Benin Jaramana.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12THEY SPEAK ARABIC
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Mr Darak teaches maths.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Ward is one of the sharpest in the class.
0:03:21 > 0:03:22BELL RINGS
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- SHOUTING - The school day at Benin Jaramana
0:03:25 > 0:03:29runs from 7.45 am to 1.45 pm, Sunday to Thursday.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It's a ten-minute walk to get home.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15Every day, Ward's mum, Andara, cooks lunch for the whole family.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Ward's family lives in a small, one-bed flat.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38His dad, Mofid, works as a civil engineer for the government.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41His salary supports the whole family,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45and they are saving up to move into a bigger apartment.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51In the afternoons, Ward plays chess on the family's computer.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08But chess is more than just a computer game for Ward.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Ward is four-times Arab Junior Chess Champion
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and a Federation Master.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49On weekends and after school, his coach, Moaz,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52runs a chess club for promising young players.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Ward started playing chess when he was five,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58but he's long since outgrown the challenge of playing other children.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Today, it's Ward's birthday.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55His family is gathered,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59and to complete the celebration, they've invited chess coach Moaz.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14He may have only just turned 14,
0:07:14 > 0:07:16but Ward has recently been selected to play
0:07:16 > 0:07:18as part of the Damascus men's team.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27And later this year, he will travel to Lebanon to play against adults
0:07:27 > 0:07:30in the international Asian Cities chess tournament.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35# Happy birthday to you
0:07:35 > 0:07:40# Happy birthday to you
0:07:40 > 0:07:44# Happy birthday to Ward
0:07:44 > 0:07:48# Happy birthday to you. #
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Once a year in Syria,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57an organisation linked to the ruling Ba'ath Party,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59called the Ba'ath Pioneers,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03runs a competition to find the nation's most talented youngsters.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07All 21,000 primary schools enter their brightest children
0:08:07 > 0:08:11to compete for the honour of becoming a National Pioneer
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and the chance to attend a special Pioneer summer camp.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18At Mleiha Boys' Primary School on the rural outskirts of Damascus,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22head teacher Soha Inglesi is proud of her school's previous successes.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58All three million primary school children in Syria
0:08:58 > 0:09:03are automatically members of the Ba'ath Pioneers
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and wear the symbol of the organisation on their uniforms.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Like all schools across Syria, twice a week,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Mleiha has a flag-raising ceremony under the ever-present gaze
0:09:13 > 0:09:16of Syrian President and Ba'ath Party leader, Dr Bashar al-Assad.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28ROUSING MUSIC PLAYS
0:09:28 > 0:09:32The Pioneers are part of the organisational structure of the Ba'ath Party.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37One of their objectives is to encourage national, party and presidential allegiance
0:09:37 > 0:09:38in primary schools.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Every child in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades
0:09:42 > 0:09:46gets the opportunity to take part in the annual Pioneers nationwide competition.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48MUSIC STOPS
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Students can compete in over 50 disciplines -
0:10:00 > 0:10:04from maths and science to music and agriculture.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08But head teacher Soha has a passion for the arts.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Every spring term, she puts in extra hours after school
0:10:11 > 0:10:13to train her star students.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Mleiha has produced a number of National Arts Pioneers.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28The challenge is to repeat those triumphs this year.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Soha has high hopes for one of her fourth grade students,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02nine-year-old Imad.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Imad is one of 14 pupils
0:11:24 > 0:11:26being entered in this year's competition.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Along with his older fifth grade counterpart, Wassim,
0:11:29 > 0:11:34he's competing in the rather unusual field of timed cardboard model-making.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Teacher Waleed Othman is helping the boys with the practice session.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41No-one wants to be knocked out in the first round of the competition
0:11:41 > 0:11:43at the end of this week.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03The boys have been practising for weeks after school,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05but Imad has a problem with his speed...
0:12:05 > 0:12:07or lack of it.
0:12:19 > 0:12:20This year,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22in the arts,
0:12:22 > 0:12:27the school has entered students to compete in glass painting, mosaics
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and clay sculpture,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33as well as model-making.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20It's the weekly flag-raising assembly at Benin Jaramana.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Today is chess champion Ward's last day at school
0:14:00 > 0:14:05before he leaves the country to play some of the best adult chess players in the world.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Ward is travelling to Beirut without his parents.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43He'll be the only child taking part in the whole tournament.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15It's too expensive for Ward's parents to travel with him
0:15:15 > 0:15:16when he goes abroad,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18but they're his keenest supporters.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Ward is leaving for Beirut today.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28The tournament in Beirut is a team competition.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33It's down to the team manager to choose which of the five players will take part in each round.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Beirut is only a three-hour drive from Damascus.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05The team's travelling in a relay of taxis up to the border and beyond.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Ward won't see his family and friends for two weeks.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20HORN HONKS
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Bye-bye!
0:18:32 > 0:18:34It's 7 am,
0:18:34 > 0:18:39and the day of the opening round of the National Pioneer competition.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04The ultimate goal is to reach the national finals, but for now,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06they've got to win through the local round.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10It's being held in a town an hour's drive from Damascus.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17But with less than 15 minutes to go before competition begins,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20the biggest challenge is finding the right venue.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19HORN HONKS
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Mleiha is the last school to arrive.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Everyone else in the arts category
0:23:24 > 0:23:27is already in their assigned classrooms,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and the exams are about to begin.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05All competitors have three hours to interpret a question set by the local Ba'ath Pioneer organisers.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27In the arts, students are competing in everything
0:24:27 > 0:24:32from painting and mosaics to weaving and flower-making.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35In a strategic move,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39Soha has chosen some of the most unusual disciplines for her pupils.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40So it turns out that today,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Imad and Wassim are the only two competing in 3D modelling.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Time's up,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41and everyone's work is laid out for judging.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50In each category, only one student from each age group
0:25:50 > 0:25:54will win through to the regional finals.
0:25:54 > 0:26:00With all her experience in the arts, Soha is one of the teachers selected by the Ministry of Education
0:26:00 > 0:26:03to be on the judging panel.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10There are no students from Mleiha in the painting category,
0:26:10 > 0:26:15but picking a winner is turning out to be controversial.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28THEY SPEAK ARABIC
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Soha tries to sort things out by organising a show of hands.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53THEY SPEAK ARABIC
0:27:05 > 0:27:10But not everyone agrees with the outcome.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25A Pioneers official is called in to moderate.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33HE SPEAKS ARABIC
0:27:39 > 0:27:42And after a further 20 minutes of discussion,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44a decision is finally made.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Imad and Wassim have finished their models in the allotted time
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and they've been waiting for the judges.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16But as they're the only two competitors in their category,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18there's not much to discuss.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Imad and Wassim know they've made it through,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53but the rest of the students will have to wait until Soha receives their results
0:28:53 > 0:28:55from Ba'ath Pioneer headquarters.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11In Beirut,
0:29:11 > 0:29:16the international Asian Cities chess tournament is well under way.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23At the Meridien Hotel, teams from countries like Iran, Iraq,
0:29:23 > 0:29:29India, Nepal, Lebanon and Jordan are battling it out over ten days.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07The Damascus men's team was seeded eighth in the competition
0:30:07 > 0:30:10and, despite Ward's disappointing performance so far,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13the team is doing well, holding third place.
0:30:13 > 0:30:18Tonight, they're taking on an all-women team from Iran.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25But after Ward's defeats,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28team manager Mohamned has decided to drop him.
0:31:02 > 0:31:08So all he can do is watch his team-mates compete and hope he'll be chosen for the next round.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39PHONE RINGS
0:31:54 > 0:31:56At Mleiha, head teacher Soha has got confirmation
0:31:56 > 0:31:59of which of her students have won through to the regional finals.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39VOICE ON PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM
0:32:39 > 0:32:42In the afternoon assembly, she announces the fourth grade winners.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14DRAMATIC MUSIC
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Soha's been teaching at Mleiha for 27 years
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and only lives a few minutes' walk from the school.
0:34:05 > 0:34:06Every other evening,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09she cooks dinner for her family.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Today, she's roped in her stepson to help.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Back in Beirut,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43the Damascus team is getting ready for another day of chess.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45After beating the Iranian women,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47the Syrians are still in third place.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Once again, Ward hasn't been chosen to play,
0:35:49 > 0:35:53but he's keen to give his team-mate, Talal, some advice.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Starting time, please start your clocks.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35Arbiters, please start all clocks.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53PHONE RINGS
0:38:55 > 0:38:59Ward's left wondering whether he'll play again
0:38:59 > 0:39:04and have the chance to prove himself against some of the best players in the world.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12At Mleiha Primary School, Imad has brought his latest cardboard creation from home
0:39:12 > 0:39:16for Waleed and head teacher Soha to inspect.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Imad's mother has collected him from school today.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12Imad's mum is a full-time carer for his older sister, Zainab.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55Imad's teacher, Waleed, lives on the other side of Damascus, right across town from the school.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00After five years of commuting for two hours per day, he's come to a difficult decision.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06Four months ago, Waleed's wife, Fatima, had their first child.
0:43:06 > 0:43:11After a short maternity leave, she has recently returned to work as a pharmacist.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Teachers' salaries in Syria are pretty modest.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32Many of them take extra work to supplement their income.
0:43:33 > 0:43:38But Mleiha's double-shift system, the extra hours for the Pioneer competitions
0:43:38 > 0:43:43and the long journey to work mean it's been hard for Waleed to get another job.
0:43:43 > 0:43:48So, reluctantly, he's decided to request a transfer to a one-shift school nearer to his home.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Waleed needs Soha's approval for the transfer. He's asked before, without success.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08Today's his last chance this school year to put in the request.
0:45:37 > 0:45:42In Beirut, they're getting ready for a crucial round in the chess tournament.
0:45:50 > 0:45:55The team manager has decided to risk playing Ward in today's vital round against Jordan.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00Ward and Talal are making final preparations.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10Ward knows the name of his opponent,
0:46:10 > 0:46:14so he's analysing his previous games on the internet.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Teams are awarded a point for each match they win
0:46:56 > 0:46:58and half a point for a draw.
0:47:00 > 0:47:05The Tehran team are currently in first place and look set to win the tournament,
0:47:05 > 0:47:11but Damascus have battled their way into second place and the chance of 2,000 prize money.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40All the other countries have adult teams,
0:47:40 > 0:47:44and Ward is the only child in the whole tournament.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53Silence, please. Arbiters ready.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59Six o'clock starting time. Please start your clock.
0:48:01 > 0:48:06So far in the tournament, Ward has played two games and lost both of them.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09He's up against 44-year-old Aboudi Marwan from Jordan,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12who's played seven games and only lost one.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09The Syrians need 2.5 points to hold on to second place.
0:49:17 > 0:49:22After half an hour, one of the Syrians reaches a draw -
0:49:22 > 0:49:24half a point to Damascus.
0:49:39 > 0:49:4490 minutes into their game, Ward's opponent offers him a draw.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48Now Ward must decide whether to take the half point for his team
0:49:48 > 0:49:51or play on and try to win.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59He decides to play on.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30Two and a half hours, Syrian player Samir reaches another draw.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32The team now have a total of 1 point.
0:50:32 > 0:50:341.5 more points needed.
0:50:39 > 0:50:44Talal and Ward must both either win or draw to keep the Syrians in second position.
0:51:25 > 0:51:30After nearly four hours, Ward and his Jordanian opponent are still playing.
0:51:30 > 0:51:31But Ward has the upper hand.
0:51:34 > 0:51:39And, with seconds left on the clock, the Jordanian must make a move, or Ward will win.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04But despite Ward's victory, the team can't hold on to second place,
0:52:04 > 0:52:07as Talal loses his match.
0:52:07 > 0:52:11At the end of the tournament, the Syrian team end up in third place.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13It's still the best they've ever done.
0:52:13 > 0:52:18After a shaky start, it's been a personal triumph for Ward.
0:52:56 > 0:53:01Back home in Syria, the Pioneer competition is getting serious.
0:53:04 > 0:53:10Hundreds of successful students are arriving to compete in the next stage, the regional round,
0:53:10 > 0:53:15where the best students from southern Syria will be chosen for the national finals.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34Across the whole country, a total of 1,500 students will be selected
0:53:34 > 0:53:37to go through to three days of residential finals in June.
0:53:37 > 0:53:42This time, the pupils and teachers from Mleiha have arrived on schedule.
0:53:42 > 0:53:48After weeks of training, there's still time for Imad and Wassim to get some last-minute coaching.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18The academic categories are taking place in nearby schools,
0:54:18 > 0:54:22but here, it's arts, music and agriculture. Like the first round,
0:54:22 > 0:54:27only one student from each grade will be selected.
0:54:39 > 0:54:45Imad and Wassim have both got three hours to make a cardboard model of either a mosque, a church
0:54:45 > 0:54:49or a country house worthy of a place in the national finals.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52But this time they've got competition.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56They're no longer unopposed in the timed cardboard modelling category.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20SHE SINGS
0:56:17 > 0:56:19Wassim has finished his mosque.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22But once again Imad is struggling to work quickly
0:56:22 > 0:56:25and is the last competitor in the room.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31With time running out, Wassim steps in.
0:56:47 > 0:56:51Imad adds a final touch to his country house...
0:56:51 > 0:56:52just in time.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31The students aren't allowed to hear the judges' discussion.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34But Wassim hangs around at the door
0:57:34 > 0:57:37and can't wait to tell Imad what he's heard.
0:58:18 > 0:58:20Next time on Syrian School,
0:58:20 > 0:58:24we follow the Pioneers to the national finals. Will the Mleiha school team get a champion?
0:58:24 > 0:58:29To find out more from the Open University about life in Syria,
0:58:29 > 0:58:33go to...
0:58:47 > 0:58:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:50 > 0:58:53E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk