13 February 2024 – The Embassy of Italy in Beirut, through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), is supporting UNICEF’s school rehabilitation programme to create a more conducive learning environment for students and teachers in Lebanon, with a focus on the most vulnerable communities.
With funding from Italy, UNICEF has conducted major rehabilitation and solarization works in 7 public schools across the country, so students now attend classes in improved and safer facilities. 6 additional schools are currently under rehabilitation with Italy’s support.
The Director General of Education, Mr. Imad Al-Ashqar, thanked the Italian Cooperation Agency and UNICEF for the support provided to public schools, “amid the compounded crisis Lebanon is suffering from weighing heavily on the society and on the education sector.” He called on the Agency “to continue its much-needed support to formal education” and acclaimed “the quality of the rehabilitation work, which turns the school into a brighter and better learning environment”.
“Since 2017, AICS intervention focused on 4 main pillars aiming at Schools rehabilitation, education and protection, promoting TVET and supporting school feeding (nutrition), for a global investment of around 58 million of euro”, said Mr. Marco Riccardo Rusconi, Director General of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation – AICS, during his visit in Lebanon. “Furthermore, during the 2021, the Ministry of Education launched the 5 years plan which sets out key pillars of Lebanon’s vision for General Education with a focus on access, quality, and governance. AICS is underpinning this plan, especially improving access and quality, through the school refurbishment and the inclusive education programs together with outstanding partners like UNICEF and the Italian NGOs” he added.
The rehabilitation works will transform these schools into more friendly spaces for children with disabilities, by installing ramps across the facilities and making bathrooms more accessible.
“Rehabilitation makes a big difference to the schools and positively affects the children and the teachers. These schools are now improving the health and safety of children, thus improving attendance rates” said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “Italy is a long-standing partner of UNICEF and we are grateful for this partnership”.
Each school will also be assessed to receive, where possible, an energy-saving system including photovoltaic cells and solar panels complementing the public infrastructure in Lebanon. The measures will help reduce the cost of electricity in the long term and contribute to the power supply of schools throughout the scholastic year.
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