Investing in Lebanon’s education system is more urgent than ever, following years of compounding crises that caused a major deterioration in access to learning and forced many families to prioritize basic needs over education.
One in three children is out of school and out of learning; the most marginalized children lag behind their peers; and many teachers are not receiving the support they need.
Strengthening the education sector takes political will, courage and vision, but it will bring significant dividends, helping build a generation that is equipped to contribute to the country’s prosperity and stability.
Education and learning are central to Lebanon’s future. Every child, regardless of nationality, gender or legal status, must have access to a quality, inclusive education.
To achieve this, we need to put children and youth at the centre of reform efforts to improve the public school system, particularly for children who are currently out of school.
We need to ensure schools are building the foundational literacy, numeracy, and life and vocational skills needed for learning, for work and for life.
The Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF), an initiative of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education with multination sponsorship and implemented in coordination with UNICEF, is a tool for achieving these goals. Since 2022, TREF has aims to enhance the governance and efficiency of the education system, ultimately ensuring that more children are in school for longer and learning more.
Even during the darkest of times, during economic crisis and the deadly intensification of cross-border conflict in 2024, TREF’s achievements demonstrated that Lebanon has the capacity to deepen reforms on equity and inclusion, teaching and learning, governance and cost-efficiency.
Despite the progress achieved, there is still a severe, but not insurmountable, education and learning crisis. Addressing it will require:
- Getting all children in school and learning.
We need to reach the estimated half a million children who are out of school and not learning. This involves helping children acquire the literacy and numeracy skills they need for learning, and easing their transition into formal education. It also means ensuring every school is inclusive, especially for children with special needs.
- Setting a learning target and implementing evidence-based teaching and learning programmes.
We need to measure progress towards improving the education system’s performance. Setting a learning target that all of Lebanon’s children, teachers, schools and partners can support will help ensure success.
- Defining a vision for Lebanon’s teachers.
Numerous teachers have sought better-paying jobs abroad as the economic crisis drastically reduced their salaries and worsened their living conditions. Teachers who have remained in Lebanon are a cornerstone of society; we must support and motivate them.
- Making the case for investment in Lebanon’s public school system.
By increasing its funding for schools and allocating support based on school needs, Lebanon can showcase its commitment to education for children, teachers and schools. Helping schools develop School Improvement Plans, annual budgets, and collect data on attendance and learning outcomes will motivate domestic and international partners to champion the benefits of Lebanon’s public schools for children and for the country’s future.
Failure to properly address Lebanon’s education crisis would have dire consequences, turning today’s children into a ‘lost generation’ with weak earning potential, increasing poverty and inequality, and reducing human capital – which could, in turn, lead to more instability.
In order to succeed, the government must continue to place education at the top of the political agenda and commit the public financing required, so that all children in Lebanon, no matter their circumstances, benefit from quality teaching and learning, imparted by motivated teachers.
UNICEF is determined to continue working with the government to promote quality, inclusive education, and urges all stakeholders to join efforts to bolster the education system.
The future of Lebanon’s children, and of the country itself, is at stake. Failure is not an option.
