Salam: “Lebanon’s Recovery Cannot Succeed Without Education.”

16 September 2026, Beirut – Under the patronage of Prime Minister, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) today convened the third High-Level Strategic Management Board of the Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF), bringing together the Government of Lebanon, contributing partners and UNICEF to advance education recovery and to support strategic direction for the 2026/2027 school year and beyond.

The meeting comes at a critical moment for education in Lebanon. Following another year of conflict and disruption, the focus is on restoring safe learning environments, recovering lost learning and ensuring that the most vulnerable children remain connected to education, while sustaining reforms that improve learning, inclusion, accountability and the performance of the education system.

Established under MEHE’s leadership, TREF brings together contributing partners - the European Union, Germany through KfW, France through AFD, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland Norway, the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, Akelius Foundation, and UNICEF - around Lebanon’s national education priorities. Their sustained partnership has enabled TREF to protect learning through successive crises while supporting reforms to strengthen the public education system.

The Lebanese Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam said: “Education is central to Lebanon’s recovery and to the future we want to build for our children. After successive crises have disrupted learning and placed enormous pressure on the education system, it is our responsibility to ensure that children recover the learning they have lost. Yet, even under these exceptional and difficult circumstances, education did not stop. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education, together with teachers, school administrations and partners, has worked tirelessly to keep children connected to their schools and safeguard their right to learn. On behalf of the Government of Lebanon, I reiterate our support to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and our commitment to advancing the implementation of Vision 2040. The Government remains committed to carrying forward the reforms and national investments this requires, with the support of our international partners.”

Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Rima Karami said: “Our priority is to ensure that every child returns not only to school, but to meaningful learning. As we restore learning after another year of disruption, we are also continuing the reforms needed to strengthen the public education system for the long term. Through our Strategic Vision for Educational Renewal 2025–2040, we are investing in better teaching and learning, more inclusive schools, stronger governance and clearer pathways for children who are outside education. Recovery and reform must move forward together, so that every investment we make today delivers better and more equitable outcomes for learners.”

Renewed hostilities in 2026 displaced more than one million people, including 390,000 children, while schools were closed, damaged or used as shelters. A nationwide initial assessment found 340 schools damaged or destroyed, putting thousands of children at risk of starting the new school year without a classroom.

Learning recovery is now at the forefront of efforts for the new school year. Restoring damaged schools, strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, supporting teachers and helping children regain lost learning will be critical to ensuring that returning to school also means returning to meaningful learning.

"The European Union remains committed to supporting Lebanon's public education system and the Ministry's vision for education recovery,” said Samy Saadi, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the European Union Delegation to Lebanon. “Education has paid a severe toll during the recent conflict, with significant disruption to learning and damage to schools. Through the Transition and Resilience Education Fund, our support has helped restore safe learning environments and ensure that every child can access quality education. Looking ahead, our priority is to continue strengthening the Ministry's institutional capacity, while encouraging more investment from Lebanon's own resources, to ensure that progress on reforms is embedded within the Ministry and can outlast donor funding."

“Every disruption to education risks widening learning gaps and pushing the most vulnerable children further behind,” said Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “With the sustained support of TREF contributing partners, UNICEF will continue working alongside MEHE to accelerate learning recovery, restore safe schools and sustain reforms that translate investment into better outcomes for children. Investing in education recovery and reform is ultimately an investment in Lebanon’s children, its human capital and its future.”

The Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF) Strategic Management Board reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining learning while strengthening Lebanon’s education system for the longer term. Building on the progress achieved, TREF will continue supporting MEHE to turn education recovery into improved learning outcomes, expand opportunities for children most at risk of being left behind including Out of School Children, and strengthen the systems, governance and use of financing needed to deliver quality and inclusive education.

Since its establishment in 2022, TREF has provided a platform for multi-year partnership between MEHE, contributing partners and UNICEF, combining international financing with technical assistance at national, regional, school, classroom and community levels.

Through this partnership, TREF supports Lebanon’s efforts to build an education system that is more equitable, effective and resilient, and capable of delivering for every child.