The Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Rima Karami, issued Circular No. 17/M/2026 with the aim of ensuring the continuity of the educational process in light of the difficult conditions that the country is going through, as a result of the military escalation and the humanitarian, social, and educational impacts it had on various regions.
The Ministry explained that this circular comes in response to the internal displacement movement that affected large numbers of families and students, in addition to the conversion of a number of public schools into centers to shelter the displaced, and the difficulty of continuing studies normally in many educational institutions.
The Ministry stressed that the primary goal of these measures is to protect every student’s right to education, and to ensure his continuation of his academic career despite the different circumstances between regions and students.
According to this circular, schools, secondary schools, and private technical and technical institutes were required to continuously assess the security conditions in their surroundings, and to make the appropriate decision regarding the approved method of education, whether in person, remotely, or in a blended manner, in cooperation with parents and in a way that ensures the safety of students and educational bodies.
The Ministry also called on these institutions to develop a flexible educational plan that takes into account the current exceptional circumstances, provided that these measures begin to be implemented as of Tuesday, “March 10, 2026.”
The circular stressed the need to take into account the conditions of students who cannot attend schools due to displacement or security conditions, and to provide them with distance education to ensure the continuation of their educational attainment.
As for schools, high schools, and official vocational and technical institutes, it has been decided to adopt distance education during the coming weeks, starting from Tuesday, “March 10, 2026,” given that a large number of these institutions are currently being used as centers to shelter displaced people or are ready to receive them when needed.
The Ministry indicated that the official educational institutions in which education is still possible will begin a transitional phase towards distance education, starting with a period of organization and technical preparation, followed by the adoption of part-time distance learning, leading to the full regularity of education during the following days.
On the other hand, studies will be temporarily postponed in schools located in areas that witnessed large displacement or were directly affected by the war, provided that these institutions remain as the educational and administrative reference for their students and educational staff until the situation stabilizes.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that it will continue to follow educational and field developments on a daily basis, noting that it will issue additional circulars and procedures according to developments in the situation to ensure the continuation of the educational process.
She also indicated that she is looking for solutions to preserve the rights of professors, especially contractors, during this exceptional stage.
This circular comes in light of the difficult security conditions that Lebanon is witnessing as a result of the military escalation and raids that targeted several areas, which led to the displacement of thousands of families and the use of a large number of public schools as shelter centers, which directly affected the regularity of the school year in various regions.
