Lebanon's schools do double duty to educate both Syrian, Lebanese students
The Lebanese Ministry of Education is working with international donors to increase the country’s capacity to secure education for the large number of displaced Syrian children.
BEIRUT — Syrians escaping the civil war that has been raging in their country since March 2011 now account for almost one-third of Lebanon’s population. They represent a huge burden for Lebanon and are affecting various sectors, including the public education system.
In June 2011, the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon stood at 2,000, but today, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the number of Syrians registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reached 1.181 million. Media reports cite an unofficial figure of 1.8 million. According to numbers Al-Monitor obtained from the ministry, 400,000 of the refugees are of school age, 3-15 years old, but only 150,000 of them, 37.5%, are studying in Lebanese public schools.
