Pathways to Progress…. Empowering Lebanon’s Next Generation

Lebanon's political and economic chaos poses serious difficulties to the country’s education system. The prolonged crisis has impacted the public education system, which is underfunded and overwhelmed. A World Bank study from 2021 noted that around 55,000 pupils transferred from private to public schools in 2020-2021, placing further strain on the already overwhelmed public education sector. Less than 2% of the nation’s GDP, far below the advised minimum of 4% to 6%, is allocated to education in public schools, which has been declining. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the education sector, resulting in the closure of schools, a rise in the number of students quitting school due to the economic downturn, and many families having to move their kids from private to public schools because of budgetary restrictions. In reality, as of June 2022, 38% of families reported cutting back on education spending since more and more parents were finding it difficult to pay for their children’s education because of declining living circumstances and bank-held personal accounts (Tarraf Foundation, 2023).

Education professionals genuinely played a pioneering role in providing teachers with the necessary training for remote teaching and learning when the Lebanese government lacked the resources and the plan to deal with the crisis. Not until long later did the government eventually arrange for teachers to obtain training. Although great effort has been added, educational professionals could not compensate for the severe efforts of the financial and personal difficulties. The technology needed for remote learning was out of reach for both parents and instructors. The situation grew worse every day, leading to a sharp decline in the value of the national currency. A teacher’s monthly wage was 40$ or less when one dollar was worth 60,000 Lebanese Lira. Although the government provided limited contributions, they were all undermined by the currency’s rate’s ongoing increase. It is now the lowest level the Lebanese Lira has been in decades. While donors have contributed as well, their contributions have not kept up with the absurd inflation. All along, educators have been in survival mode (Hdaife, 2024).

Lebanese teachers decided to go on strike when pay was insufficient, instructors cannot continue to work without health insurance. Teachers are disregarded by a government that has moved on with its privatization strategy while failing to embrace prompt answers. There are currently 350,000 Lebanese students without education. 60,000 educators are demonstrating in the streets for their rights, but nobody is paying attention. Donors must fulfill their commitment to support the teaching profession. The world community must support the efforts to reconstruct the educational system and condemn the actions of the Lebanese government that have been undermining public education and encouraging its privatization. We shall enter a new future despite the flagrant shortcomings of the administrations (Hdaife, 2024).