Lebanon Schools Caught Between Reopening Classes and Rising Displacement Crises
Froun, Lebanon – Principal Abbas Makki manages a school in the village of Froun, located in the southern part of Lebanon. From his office desks, he prepares for the anticipated resumption of classes in the district, which has transformed into a refuge for the displaced.
Frour is scarred by rubble from structures obliterated by Israeli aerial strikes. Local officials report that much of the settlement still lacks state‑provided water supply or reliable electricity. As the school year draws near, many displaced individuals are unable to resume residence in their hometowns.
The
Returned to rubble
chapter details how Hezbollah’s attack in March intensified conflict in the region. Following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah launched a surprise strike against Israel, prompting a swift retaliatory exchange. These heightened tensions have caused Israel’s forces to re‑invade southern Lebanon, forcing the relocation of over one million Lebanese civilians from southern districts, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and northern Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The subsequent US‑brokered dialogue culminated in a late‑June framework agreement proposing “pilot zones” where Israeli troop withdrawal would coincide with coordination between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Hezbollah for disarmament.
Despite local claims that Israel never formally assumed control of Froun—one of the three villages incorporated into the pilot zone—the settlement saw inhabitants slowly return only to discover vast piles of concrete debris where their homes once stood. Some residents, such as Soujoud Ramadan, established a compact marketplace beside the school entrance, offering snacks and essential goods; she operates there because the surrounding town center was likewise decimated.
Ramadan reflects on her experience, stating she left for the ceasefire finding her village reduced to ruins yet believes Froun can recover and even improve.
The public academic calendar is slated to begin on September 15, with the government setting that same date as a target for restoring water and electricity to Froun.
Since the implementation of the framework agreement, numerous families that initially sheltered in schools have gradually resumed residence at home or secured alternative housing.
However, fresh Israeli strikes targeting southern Lebanon have compelled some to depart once more; on Monday, Israel executed a lethal operation that killed twelve civilians in the Nabatieh region’s Kfar Reman area, a toll cited by the Ministry of Health as 4,381 fatalities among the Lebanese since March 2.
Hundreds of thousands continue to live outside permanent homes, underscoring the scale of the displacement.
“A school cannot operate as a legitimate learning environment while simultaneously serving as a functional shelter,” observes Maysoun Chehab, senior education programme specialist with UNESCO’s Beirut office. “While maintaining attendance for students in school settings, administrators must prioritize providing dignified, secure alternatives for displaced families. Simple evacuation does not address the underlying crisis.”
On September 2, Education Minister Rima Karami affirmed that all pupils would attend school for the 2026‑27 academic year and pledged in‑person classes wherever practical.
Yet Karami insisted that no displaced individual residing within a school should be removed unless a comparable alternative solution exists. In nearby towns such as Srifa, displaced persons were transferred from public schools to private institutions, while Bourj Qalaway plans to erect seventeen prefabricated classroom units on site. In Froun, Principal Makki indicated that temporary modular dwellings would be furnished for the displaced, enabling students to resume their studies.
“Our priority is to avoid mistreatment and to ensure uninterrupted instruction,” Makki emphasized.
Damage to Infrastructure
Even with governmental and community restoration efforts, the looming school year presents formidable challenges due to widespread destruction across southern Lebanon.
Educational specialists note that Lebanon’s current academic reopening confronts a complex reality: it involves safeguarding education amid persistent hostilities, the ongoing displacement of populations, and extensive physical harm to school buildings.
More than 340 schools have sustained direct damage, while 454 have experienced operational disruptions stemming from conflict or displacement-related interruptions.
“Restoring the learning environment requires rapid rehabilitation of facilities and procurement of replacement equipment, but the deeper imperative is to prevent future generations from bearing the costs of armed conflict,” Chehab warned.
Students across Lebanon have endured prolonged interruptions over the past seven years, contributing to a generational education gap. “Learning cannot await full political or security stabilization,” Chehab stressed. “All available resources must be mobilized now to reintegrate children into safe educational spaces, support their instructors, and rebuild a measure of normalcy and optimism. Safeguarding education today equals protecting Lebanon’s human capital, social cohesion, and tomorrow’s prospects.”
