BEIRUT — At least 100,000 children in Lebanon risk missing the start of the next academic year unless schools damaged during the recent conflict are repaired before classes resume in September, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned, citing a nationwide assessment of the country's education system.
The assessment, carried out in June by Lebanon's Ministry of Education and Higher Education with technical support from UNICEF, found that 340 public, private and technical and vocational schools had been damaged, including 17 that were completely destroyed. The findings were released by UNICEF on July 3.
According to UNICEF, the damage is concentrated in some of the areas most affected by the recent hostilities, including Nabatiyeh, South Lebanon, Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel, Beirut and Mount Lebanon. While some schools sustained relatively minor damage, many require extensive rehabilitation or complete reconstruction before they can safely reopen to students and staff.
"Schools are much more than buildings," UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Marcoluigi Corsi said in a statement. "They are places where children learn, feel safe and begin to recover from crisis. Urgent investment is needed to restore damaged schools and ensure children can return to learning without further delay."
UNICEF said the assessment was supported through the Transition and Resilience Education Fund, backed by the European Union, Germany, France and Switzerland. The agency called for immediate funding and reconstruction efforts to restore access to education before the new school year begins.
The warning comes after years of repeated disruptions to education in Lebanon caused by overlapping economic, political and security crises. UNICEF said another prolonged interruption would have lasting consequences for children's learning, mental health and future opportunities, while increasing their exposure to protection risks such as child labour and early marriage.
The education warning follows months of conflict that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people and forced many schools to serve as emergency shelters. Earlier this year, UNICEF said widespread displacement and damage to civilian infrastructure had already disrupted schooling for large numbers of children across the country.
Lebanon's education ministry and UNICEF said they are working with international partners to prioritize repairs and rehabilitation, but stressed that rapid financial support will be required if affected schools are to reopen in time for the start of the September academic year.
