The education sector in Lebanon is struggling to survive the economic crisis with no signs of abating.
Today, all public schools in Lebanon are closed, leaving around one million students with no education, and half-million children are already out of school because of poverty and economic situation, according to Save The Children organization Save The Children.
Teachers of public schools started an open strike at the beginning of the year, demanding higher salaries and better work conditions. While the ministry of Education has promised that everyone will get paid, teachers mention that their wages have yet to arrive, and they can't afford to go to school anymore or to cover the basic costs.
Zeinab Tabaja, an Arabic language teacher in a public school in the South of Lebanon, highlights three reasons for the strike: the defect in the health insurance system, the failure to increase salaries and the failure to receive a transportation allowance.
“The Ministry of Education disrupted this academic year, and deprived teachers of their basic rights for a decent living and their demands to receive wages monthly and to obtain a fair transportation allowance, especially after the high increase in the prices of transportation and the rise of the dollar. It is the last chance to save this sector”, Tabaja said.
The education crisis in Lebanon started during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by shifting to online classes and shortening the curriculum. These immediate and long-term impacts on learning, protection and future prosperity will be invincible and prevent prospects for a sustainable recovery from the current economic crisis.
According to a previous World Bank report World Bank Report, the economic situation in Lebanon is among the worst examples of financial crises that the world has known since the mid-nineteenth century, as the currency lost more than 90% of its value, and the prices of consumer goods tripled on an annual basis. At the same time, most of the salaries of government sector employees, including teachers' salaries, were not increased, which added to the difficulties of daily life.
"Education is our right, but we stand out for the rights of our teachers. I feel we have lost our future and have no idea how long this will stay," Shahed Shreim, 17 years old said, "The economic and social situation affects everyone; students, teachers, and parents."
Education is fundamental for human development and the improvement of society. It is a powerful tool for developing the potential of everyone and promoting individual well-being. And because of this crisis, students face various challenges, starting with securing a future for themselves and preserving their mental health in light of these challenging conditions that the country is going through for the fourth year in a row.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) urged the Government of Lebanon to take immediate steps to open public schools.
Earlier this month, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Edouard Beigbeder said that children in Lebanon are experiencing another devastating disruption to their Education following the closure of public schools at the beginning of this month.
"Children cannot afford to lose access to learning. Schools must stay open", Beigbeder said.
Beigbeder urged the Government of Lebanon to prioritize long-term solutions through the 2023 country budget and take steps to support teachers with an income that provides dignity so that children can access quality, safe and inclusive education.
In this context, the Association of Official Vocational and Technical Education Teachers announced their commitment to the strike for the fourth week and only to attend institutes and technical schools once they obtain the minimum level of decent living.
The crisis will escalate if the government stays unable to find an appropriate solution to save the remainder of the school year and protect the rights of teachers and students.
Share This Post On
1 comment
1 month, 3 weeks ago by
cyberwarrior787
Great work keep it up 🙋🏻♂️
Leave a comment
You need to login to leave a comment. Log-in
