The Syrian Refugee Education Crisis in Lebanon

For thousands of Syrian children living in Lebanon, schooling is a moving target—sometimes literally. Families displaced by conflict often settle in informal camps or rented rooms that change every few months as rent rises or work disappears. Education, while officially guaranteed, is fragile and inconsistent.

Public schools try to meet the need with a “double-shift” system: Lebanese students attend in the morning, and Syrian children use the same classrooms in the afternoon. While creative, this approach stretches resources thin. Textbooks are shared, classrooms are crowded, and teachers face overwhelming workloads. Limited funding means the afternoon shift often lacks enrichment programs, extracurriculars, or special-needs support.

Language is another obstacle. Many Lebanese schools teach in French or English for certain subjects, but most Syrian refugees speak only Arabic. Younger students struggle to keep up with lessons delivered in unfamiliar languages, and older children can lose years of learning as they adjust. Frustration sometimes leads to dropping out entirely.

Economic pressures weigh heavily, too. Refugee parents frequently work low-wage jobs—if they can find work at all. School fees for transportation, uniforms, and supplies can feel insurmountable when food and shelter are daily concerns. Some families ask older children to work or babysit younger siblings, limiting school attendance.

Despite these challenges, sparks of hope exist. International aid organizations run informal learning centers that provide tutoring and psychosocial support. Volunteer teachers host weekend classes to help students catch up. Some Lebanese schools collaborate with NGOs to offer accelerated learning programs so refugee children can reenter the formal system.

Long-term solutions will require sustained international funding and policy commitments from the Lebanese government and global partners. Stable financing could support teacher training, language assistance programs, and school construction. Without that, a generation of Syrian children risks being defined not by what they can learn, but by what conflict has denied them.