Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

This grant contributes to enrolling and retaining approx. 680 refugee girls and boys in Lebanese public schools’ afternoon Second Shift during the 2015/2016 school year.

The Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) opened approximately 1,000 public schools to non-Lebanese students, enrolling them in regular school sessions, and more than 400 Lebanese public schools registered more non-Lebanese children than Lebanese children. Given the large influx of refugees over the years, a limited number of schools (144 in the 2015/2016 school year, for 60,000 non-Lebanese students) have also been required to open for an additional, “Second Shift” in the afternoons.

Expected results

With this grant, it is possible to contribute to and/or cover salaries of teachers, school directors and supervisors; running costs of the schools, parent council fees; maintaining and improving school facilities; providing school supplies (school bags and stationary and transportation for an approximate 20 per cent of children, as well as to ensure outreach and attendance monitoring of children.

Target group / Beneficiaries

In total, UNICEF is working in about 250 of the most vulnerable locatlities across Lebanon (these localities contain 85% of the registered Syrian refugees, 93% of Palestinian refugees and 67% of poor Lebanese (living on less than 4 USD/day). In the education sector, UNICEF partners with the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and various NGOs.

Activities

Overall, to reach the most vulnerable children and their families, UNICEF in Lebanon provides assistance in schools through the provision of learning and recreational equipment, enrolment support, remedial classes, and Accelerated Learning Programmes to facilitate integration into the Lebanese curriculum, psychosocial (PSS), and minor repairs and rehabilitation of facilities to ensure the schools are able to cope with increased student numbers and to alleviate the impact on host communities.

Specifically, with this contribution of 600.000 Euros UNICEF would for instance be able to fund the enrolment of approximately 680 refugee boys and girls in public school Second Shifts, in places such as the Bekaa Valley.Support to Second Shift enrolment for vulnerable refugee children in Lebanon. for 12 months.

Context

Over one million children in Lebanon are directly affected and in need of education, protection, health and water and sanitation services. These children include 630,000 Syrian refugee children; 470,000 poor Lebanese children; and 120,000 Palestine refugee children. The magnitude and proportionality of the emergency has placed an enormous burden on the delivery of all basic services, including education, health and water and sanitation services, especially during the last two years. The shared reality of refugees and host community has meant that greater numbers than ever before of poor and marginalised children in Lebanon are at risk of exclusion and exploitation. The concentration of refugees in poor host communities has meant that refugees and poor Lebanese share access – or lack thereof – to the same basic services. In this context, the quality of educational services remains a significant challenge, especially in crowded classroom environments, with teachers experiencing difficulties in coping with the specific education needs of children affected by the crisis.