Lebanon is preparing to restart the new school year even as thousands of people continue to shelter in public school buildings after months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Education officials say most students will be able to resume in-person classes, but the situation highlights damaged school infrastructure, persistent displacement and unequal access to online learning alternatives.
- Around 80 schools in Lebanon still function as shelters while the education ministry plans to reopen most schools.
- An estimated 340 schools were damaged in the conflict, with about 30 destroyed; funding to repair them is lacking.
- Humanitarian groups warn of significant learning loss and limited internet/device access for displaced families relying on online classes.
- About 21,000 people remain in collective shelters; roughly 350,000 people are still displaced nationally, per U.N. reporting.
What officials say and the scale of sheltering in schools
Lebanon’s education ministry adviser Georgia Hachem told reporters that around 80 schools remain in use as collective shelters, though many of those host a relatively small number of families and some facilities will reopen while retaining shelter spaces. The ministry plans to consolidate displaced families where possible and to move people in Beirut into unused buildings, with the ministry asserting “we have a solution for every single shelter, and no student will be left without a seat.” (Source 2)
Who is sheltering and why they cannot return home
Most families sheltering in schools come from southern villages that were destroyed or are under Israeli military occupation, according to interviews from Tyre. Humanitarian groups and local residents report ongoing demolitions and fresh strikes in some communities, while the stalled negotiations between Israel and Lebanon — and separately between the U.S. and Iran — mean there is no immediate political path for many displaced people to return. At the height of the conflict, roughly 1.2 million people were displaced across Lebanon; recent U.N. figures put the number still displaced at around 350,000, with about 21,000 living in collective shelters. (Source 2)
Impact on learning and the digital divide
Humanitarian organisations warn of substantial learning loss. Save the Children’s country director in Lebanon estimated as much as four years of educational regression for some children, and local aid groups have set up informal learning spaces inside shelters. The displacement and damage to school facilities compound an existing digital access problem: when the education ministry offered online classes after closures, many families in shelters lacked reliable internet or sufficient devices — one device might be shared by several children, reducing the effectiveness of distance learning. (Source 2)
Damage to school infrastructure and repair needs
Officials and analysts say war damage is extensive: a reported 340 schools have been damaged, with about 30 destroyed outright and an unknown additional number inaccessible because they lie in occupied areas. The education ministry described a funding gap to repair and reopen these schools, which complicates the ministry’s pledge to provide seats for displaced students. (Source 2)
How reopening will work this year
Education authorities set Sept. 15 as the start of the school year in many areas. Their plan includes reopening most facilities for in-person instruction, using hybrid approaches where necessary and consolidating shelter residents into fewer buildings to free classrooms. In a minority of cases, some schools may remain online-only for the term. Save-the-Children and other NGOs are running catch-up and psychosocial activities to help children return to learning. (Source 2)
Practical implications for families and educators
- Families sheltering in schools face overcrowding and limited privacy, while many have lost livelihoods tied to farming and local commerce.
- Students displaced repeatedly over several years risk falling further behind without targeted remediation and device/connectivity support.
- Repairing and securing damaged schools will require donor funding and safe access to occupied or front-line areas.
- Consolidation of shelters into non-school buildings may ease classroom reopening but depends on available property and resources in municipalities like Beirut and Tyre.
Timeline of recent education disruptions (selected)
- March 2, 2026 — The latest round of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensified, triggering fresh displacement. (Source 2)
- Peak displacement — At the conflict’s height, reporting indicated about 1.2 million displaced people across Lebanon; numbers have fallen since but many remain displaced. (Source 2)
- Late June 2026 — A shaky truce allowed many to return home, though occupation and demolitions left significant areas unsafe or inaccessible. (Source 2)
- August–September 2026 — With the school year approaching, the education ministry announced reopening plans and shelter consolidations. (Source 2)
Remaining unknowns and areas needing verification
Key uncertainties remain. The exact number of students who will be unable to attend in-person classes because their schools remain shelters is unclear. Precise funding shortfalls for repairs and the timetable to restore destroyed schools were not disclosed by officials. There are also unresolved questions about how long Israeli forces will occupy southern areas and how that will affect access to some schools. These details were not made available in reporting from Tyre. (Source 2)
Regional and policy context
Lebanon’s education disruptions occur against a backdrop of long-term economic strain that predates the current conflict, including a severe downturn since 2019 and the 2020 Beirut port explosion. Education has been a national priority given its role in migration and remittances, which help the economy. Analysts who have studied Lebanon’s crisis response argued that the government should avoid using schools as long-term shelters to prevent creating a prolonged education emergency. (Source 2)
What this means for technology and humanitarian response
For aid groups and the education ministry, restoring learning will require a mix of on-the-ground classrooms, catch-up programmes and technology support targeted to displaced households. That includes devices, connectivity and teacher training for blended instruction where school damage or sheltering prevents full in-person attendance. Donors and NGOs may need to prioritise repair grants and the provision of learning materials and internet access in collective shelters to reduce the digital gap that emerged when online classes replaced closed schools. (Source 2)
“A sixth grader is actually on the level of a second grader,” said Nora Ingdal, Save the Children’s Lebanon country director, describing how prolonged disruption has set back many students. (Source 2)
As Lebanon opens classrooms, the competing demands of sheltering displaced families, repairing damaged infrastructure and delivering remedial education will test both government coordination and donor resolve. The ministry’s vow that no student will be left without a seat sets a clear objective; operationalising it, in areas still affected by occupation or where schools were destroyed, remains the immediate challenge.