Caretaker Minister of Education Abbas Halabi emphasized on Tuesday the high costs associated with rebuilding and restoring war-damaged schools across the country. He made this statement during a meeting of the emergency committee responsible for managing the education sector during crises.
Some schools were partially or totally destroyed by Israeli airstrikes during the war between Hezbollah and Israel, while others were used as shelters for internally displaced people.
Minister Halabi presented a report detailing the material damage sustained by schools, highlighting the urgent need for repairs and reconstruction to ensure the continuity of the school year.
He stressed the importance of continued coordination with UNESCO and UNICEF to create a transparent plan tailored to the current situation, which would enable schools to resume smoothly.
Halabi also praised the efforts made during this challenging period to address the effects of the war, which ended with a ceasefire agreement on November 27.
Participants in the meeting emphasized the urgent need to secure funding from donors and international partners.
Currently, 1,119 public schools are said to be ready to welcome students. Around 278,000 students are enrolled and attending classes an average of three days per week. Additionally, eight public schools have been destroyed and 15 are still being used as shelters.
Regarding higher education, the minister announced that private universities are expected to resume in-person classes in 2025.
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