Lebanon's schools strike leaves one million children without education

The strike, which started at the beginning of January, left public schools in Lebanon closed, bringing the number of children out of school to over one million, including around 300,000 students registered to attend the morning shift, almost 170,000 children from the afternoon shift, and over half a million children who were already out of school, the association reported.  

According to Jennifer Moorehead, Save the Children's Country Director in Lebanon, "these school closures have already caused a precipitous drop in learning, which is driving drop-out and disengagement from education."   

"The education of Lebanon's children is the most essential factor necessary for the recovery and future of the country. However, this vital sector is increasingly facing challenges and is now in crisis with millions of children at risk of losing out on quality learning for the fourth consecutive school year," Moorehead added.  

Save the Children also called on the Lebanese Government to find a solution to re-open schools, facilitate registration, and ensure a safe return of all children to school.