Lebanon’s Damaged Schools Put 100,000 Children at Risk Before September

At least 100,000 children in Lebanon could be left without classroom access when the next academic year begins unless damaged schools are repaired or restored before September, UNICEF warned on July 2, 2026.

The warning followed a nationwide June assessment by Lebanon’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education, conducted with technical support from UNICEF through the Transition and Resilience Education Fund. The assessment found damage at 340 public, private, technical and vocational education and training schools, including 17 that were completely destroyed.

The 100,000 figure is a projected risk, not a confirmed count of children who will ultimately miss school. It covers the broader group of students affected by damaged schools and by the possibility that repairs, reconstruction or alternative arrangements will not be ready in time.

Damage spans several governorates

UNICEF said the affected schools are in Nabatiyeh, South Lebanon, Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel, Beirut and Mount Lebanon. Conditions range from minor damage to buildings requiring extensive rehabilitation or complete reconstruction before they can safely accommodate students and teachers.

That means the assessment does not establish that all 340 schools are unusable. Nor does it show that all children included in the 100,000 estimate attend the 17 schools destroyed beyond repair. Instead, it identifies a nationwide education-access risk tied to the condition of schools and the pace of restoration work.

September is the immediate test

Schools needing major repairs or reconstruction may not be ready for students and teachers at the start of the academic year. UNICEF said urgent action is needed before September to prevent damage to school buildings from becoming a wider interruption to classroom learning.

The ministry assessment measures physical damage to schools. It should not be conflated with a separate UNESCO June update that estimated around 500,000 children were out of classrooms. The two figures describe different aspects of Lebanon’s broader education crisis.

Recovery may require more than rebuilding

UNICEF said it is working with the ministry, donors and partners on school rehabilitation, learning continuity and education recovery across Lebanon. The agency has not described the September risk as a final decision to close schools or delay the academic year.

UNESCO’s education-in-emergencies guidance identifies measures that can help students continue learning while buildings are repaired. These include rehabilitating facilities, creating temporary or virtual learning spaces, replacing equipment, improving digital infrastructure, supporting teachers and providing psychosocial services.

For families, the next developments to watch are school-by-school reopening decisions, confirmed repair funding, temporary or digital learning arrangements and any change to the academic-year schedule. Until those decisions are made, the 100,000 estimate remains a warning about possible lost access, not a final enrollment outcome.

Sources

• UNICEF Lebanon assessment
• EFE report on Lebanon’s damaged schools
• UNESCO education-in-emergencies guidance