Salim: Government Committed to Advancing Reforms and National Investments

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education today held the third meeting of the High Strategic Council for the Management of the Trust Fund for Education (TREF), under the patronage of Prime Minister Najib Mikati and with participation from the Lebanese government, contributing partners, and UNICEF, aiming to advance efforts in restoring learning and supporting strategic directions for the 2026/2027 academic year and beyond.

According to a statement, this meeting comes at a critical juncture for Lebanon’s education sector. After another year of conflict and instability, focus is on restoring safe learning environments, compensating for lost learning, and ensuring continued connection of the most vulnerable children to education, while simultaneously advancing reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes, enhancing inclusion and accountability, and strengthening the education system. The Trust Fund for Education (TREF) was established under the leadership of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, bringing together Lebanon’s national priorities in education from the European Union, Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW), France via the French Agency for Development (AFD), Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, the Abdullah Al Ghurair Foundation, the Akeleios Foundation, and UNICEF. This sustainable partnership has enabled the fund to safeguard continuity of learning during successive crises, while supporting reforms aimed at strengthening the formal education system.

For the occasion, Salim stated: "Education is a cornerstone of Lebanon’s recovery and the future we want to build for our children. After successive crises that disrupted learning and placed immense pressure on us, we have a responsibility to ensure children recover what they missed. Yet even under these exceptional and difficult circumstances, education did not stop. The Ministry of Education has worked tirelessly alongside teachers, school administrations, and partners to maintain children’s connection to schools and uphold their right to education. On behalf of the Lebanese government: I renew our support for the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and our commitment to moving forward with implementing the 2040 Vision. The government remains committed to advancing reforms and national investments required by this vision, supported by our international partners."

In her remarks, Karami said: "Our priority is ensuring every child returns—not just to school, but to meaningful and purposeful learning. As we work to restore learning after another year of disruption, we continue essential reforms to strengthen the formal education system in the long term. Through our strategic vision for educational renewal 2025–2040, we are investing in improving teaching and learning, enhancing school inclusivity, strengthening governance, and creating clearer pathways for children not enrolled in education. Recovery and reform must go hand in hand to ensure every investment we make today translates into better, fairer learning outcomes for learners."

She added: "The renewed hostilities in 2026 led to the displacement of over one million people, including 390,000 children, while schools were closed, damaged, or repurposed as shelters. An initial national assessment revealed damage or destruction to 340 schools, putting thousands of children at risk of starting the new academic year without classrooms. Restoring learning is now a top priority ahead of the new school year. Repairing damaged schools, reinforcing foundational skills in reading, writing, and numeracy, supporting teachers, and helping children catch up on lost learning will be essential to ensure that returning to school means more than physical presence—it also means returning to real, meaningful learning."

EU Deputy Head of Mission and Acting Head of Mission in Lebanon, Sami Saadati, announced: "The European Union continues its commitment to supporting Lebanon’s formal education system and the Ministry’s vision for restoring education." He said: "The education sector has paid a heavy price in the recent conflict, with widespread learning disruptions and significant damage to many schools. Through the Trust Fund for Education (TREF), our support has contributed to restoring safe learning environments and ensuring every child receives quality education. In the coming phase, our priority is continuing to strengthen the Ministry’s institutional capacities, while encouraging increased investment from Lebanon’s own national resources, ensuring that progress made in reforms within the Ministry is consolidated and sustained beyond donor funding."

UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Marco Luigi Corsi, said: "Every disruption in learning risks widening learning gaps and pushing the most vulnerable children further behind. Thanks to sustained support from contributing partners to the Trust Fund for Education (TREF), UNICEF will continue working alongside the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to accelerate the restoration of learning, rehabilitate safe schools, and sustain reforms that translate investments into better outcomes for children. Investing in restoring and reforming education is ultimately an investment in Lebanon’s children, its human capital, and its future."

The High Strategic Council for the Management of the Trust Fund for Education (TREF) reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring continuity of learning while strengthening Lebanon’s education system in the long term. Building on progress achieved, the fund will continue supporting the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in transforming restoration efforts into improved learning outcomes, expanding opportunities for children most at risk of falling behind—including those not enrolled in school—and strengthening systems, governance, and the use of financing to deliver quality and inclusive education. Since its establishment in 2022, the Trust Fund for Education (TREF) has provided a multi-year partnership platform between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, contributing partners, and UNICEF, combining international financing with technical support at national, regional, school, classroom, and local community levels. Through this partnership, the fund supports Lebanon’s efforts to build a more equitable, effective, resilient education system capable of delivering education for every child.