Contribution to the Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF) supporting the education sector

The crisis in Lebanon has a major impact on the country’s education system. Political instability, social tensions, and the very rapid increase in poverty in both refugee and Lebanese communities are all affecting students, parents, teachers and public schools.

As a result of the COVID crisis and teachers’ strikes, schools remained closed for more than half of the school years between 2020 and 2023. The deteriorating conditions at schools have hindered the access of students, causing by that a significant learning gap.

The impacts of the crisis, social and community tensions have further exacerbated the vulnerabilities of students and their families.

TREF is an innovative aid modality in Lebanon, designed to support the implementation of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s (MEHE) 2021-2025 Five-Year Plan and strengthen its governance of the sector. The two specific objectives of the project are to: 

• Ensure Lebanese and Syrian children have access to schools and learning continuity:

- Improve enrollment and retention of students in public schools by promoting the opening and proper functioning of schools, the attendance of teachers and students;
- Reduce vulnerabilities by strengthening psycho-social support and targeting school attendance barriers for girls and boys;
- Reduce learning losses over the past years.

• Strengthen the sector in the medium/long term:

- Reduce operating costs and electricity supply difficulties for schools to allow them to sustain their operation; 
- Strengthen and reform the governance of the sector; 
- Strengthen the capacities of the MEHE;
- Support the implementation of key reforms.

• 16,000 students benefit from improvement of their learning and work environment;
• 15,553 students and their parents receive cash for education;
• 25 to 30 public schools are equipped with solar systems;
• Concrete actions of the 2-year MEHE reform plan are being implemented.