UNICEF: Thousands of Lebanese children risk missing new school year

Beirut (ANTARA) - Around 100,000 Lebanese children risk being unable to attend the new school year unless schools damaged by war are repaired before September, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement on Thursday (2/7). The warning came after a nationwide survey conducted by UNICEF together with Lebanon’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education found widespread damage across the country’s education sector due to the recent Middle East conflict. The survey identified 340 affected educational institutions, including schools and vocational centres, with 17 of them destroyed and many others requiring major repairs before they can reopen safely. UNICEF warned that prolonged school absence can increase various risks, such as child labour and early marriage. The agency also stated it is working with local authorities to rehabilitate damaged schools and maintain teaching and learning activities, while urging additional funding.