This report explores education opportunities in Lebanon in light of the protracted Syria crisis, examining their potential in supporting social stability between host and refugee communities. It argues that education, both formal and non-formal, has strong potential to support social stability in Lebanon. The research has been produced as part of the ‘Change in exile’ project implemented by International Alert in Lebanon and Roskilde University in Denmark, which seeks to generate evidence on the role of education in supporting social stability in both countries. In Lebanon, the research involved 30 key informant interviews (KIIs) with government, the United Nations (UN) and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) with Syrian and Lebanese children (aged 11–17), parents and educators in Tripoli and in the suburbs of Beirut. This research was conducted between October 2016 and January 2017. In Denmark, the research involved a similar methodology with KIIs and in-depth interviews with unaccompanied Syrian refugee minors.
Education is a clear indicator of life outcomes, including of positive perceptions and behaviours. It can promote diversity as well as increase people’s wellbeing and decrease resorting to negative coping strategies. Education can contribute to social stability, not least through building knowledge and skills to address tensions without violence and discrimination, especially when schools are among the few spaces where children can mingle and experience diversity in the country. Moreover, education can help to build the resilience of children by reducing the risk of resorting to negative coping strategies such as early marriage or child labour, therefore increasing the likelihood of positive wellbeing. This research examines four different elements of the intersection between education and social stability – namely, formal education, non-formal education, the role of parents and structural challenges, and the potential for collaboration between people and institutions.
The Lebanese government’s inclusive education plan and assurance of opening schools to all school-aged Syrian children in the country reflects an unparalleled commitment by a national government. This research shows that, although formal education has strong potential to support positive social interactions, building on the government’s plan, it is not currently seizing the existing opportunities. In addition, non-formal education has strong potential to support social stability, and efforts should be made to coordinate formal and non-formal education opportunities. The role of parents is also vital in ensuring children’s positive educational performance, and the collaboration between municipalities, schools and parents is key to further stability. Ultimately, programmes geared towards the promotion of social stability strongly point towards the potential to reduce bullying, improve the learning environment and reduce drop-out rates. The following sections provide a summary of the key findings of this research.
Formal education
Having opened its doors to Syrian children, Lebanon’s formal education system is struggling to meet the demand from both Syrian and Lebanese populations. Around 250,000 Syrian refugee children and youth remain out of school or have dropped out before completing any significant cycle of learning. Retention is a concern for both Lebanese and Syrians, especially at secondary level, as attendance is affected by a number of factors, including economic vulnerability, cultural differences and language barriers.
Currently, the formal education system is not reaching its full potential in supporting positive social interactions between children, teachers and parents. Research findings demonstrate that children in single nationality classes who do not engage in mixed nationality activities, such as those offered by organisations working on social stability, have more negative perceptions of their peers of other nationalities. Moreover, the lack of engagement from overburdened teachers, along with violence and impunity in the classroom, reinforce barriers to social stability. Organisations from the non-formal sector are filling the gap and have shown themselves to be effective in addressing the needs of children affected by conflict and of communities experiencing social conflict, despite facing structural challenges. Improving the connections and collaboration between the formal and non-formal education sectors can help to reduce social conflict by combining the skills and expertise of the non-formal sector with the capacity and scale of the formal sector.
Non-formal education
Regulated non-formal education programmes implemented by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and NGOs support refugee children to enrol in the formal education system and are targeted towards children’s different levels and heterogeneous needs. This research defines non-formal education broadly as any activity with an educational aim that is outside the formal curriculum and school system, including remedial education, extra-curricular activities and social stability activities for children. Non-formal education in its diversity has shown its effectiveness in promoting tolerance and respect for diversity. Programmes such as homework and language support groups are critical to supporting students in keeping up with the academic curriculum and can support positive social interactions between children. Social stability activities, aimed at providing spaces for social interaction, can be effective as a first step in creating trust and positive perceptions between Syrian and Lebanese children.
Non-formal education activities supporting social stability have successfully complemented formal schooling by offering recreational activities, which are not part of the formal programme in the afternoon shift, along with rights education and opportunities for positive social interactions between Lebanese and Syrian children. In difficult times, non-formal education activities can allow children to be themselves again while supporting their personal development, learning and social skills. Other types of non-formal education activities, such as those supported by religious institutions or scouts’ groups, were not included in this research given its limited scope.
The role of parents
While parents play a vital role in children’s education performance, many Syrian and Lebanese parents are not involved in their children’s education due to limited time, capacities and opportunities, as well as language barriers. Syrian parents whose children attend afternoon shifts at Lebanese public schools face challenges in accessing school administration or in supporting their children with homework due to the use of foreign languages in Lebanese curricula. Moreover, due to social norms, parents sometimes resist sending their children to initiatives of mixed gender and mixed nationalities, which are aimed at improving their perceptions and levels of trust. Parents’ support and involvement needs to be strengthened, therefore, for instance by: building on the existing parent community groups (PCGs); raising awareness of the importance of education; engaging parents in their children’s education; and providing awareness sessions on topics such as peace education and positive communication with children.
Structural challenges and collaboration opportunities
Enhancing the role of education in promoting social stability requires bridging the response efforts of different institutions and organisations at national and local levels. However, these kinds of collaborative interventions are still rare. Moreover, in the case of education, such interventions need the buy-in, involvement and awareness of teachers, parents, children, municipalities and civil society. Ultimately, the foundations for constructive opportunities for convergence between the education and social stability sectors at national and local levels do exist and should be seized and built upon. Increasing coordination between municipalities, schools and communities can provide such opportunities, as can strengthening child protection systems and banning the use of corporal punishment in public schools, both of which can have a positive impact on children’s wellbeing and social stability.