Will Syrian refugees be integrated into Lebanese regular schooling system?

These students are now enrolled in evening classes across 337 official schools for the academic year 2022/2023, with 12,500 teachers and staff members responsible for their education.

Since the start of the crisis, the public education system has heavily relied on donations from aid organizations to cover its costs, which are largely tied to maintaining education for refugees. There are even discussions of potentially integrating Lebanese and refugee students.

A UNHCR official recently tweeted that integrating refugees into national education systems is the only sustainable and fair way to provide education for all refugee children.

However, LBCI reached out to aid organizations, including UNICEF and UNHCR, who reiterated their previous statements on the issue. Furthermore, UNICEF denied any plans to merge Syrian and Lebanese students into one classroom, while UNHCR emphasized the importance of all children having access to quality education regardless of their nationality.

Moreover, the Education Ministry has also taken a clear stance on the issue. It previously announced that Syrian students will not be integrated into the regular schooling hours and respective classes which are exclusive for Lebanese students.

This report highlights the reality of the public education sector in Lebanon and its problems. But these problems require fundamental solutions, not just quick fixes. So, what would the solutions be?