Dr. Maha Shuayb and other LERRN partners at the Centre for Lebanese Studies (CLS) issued a timely and important report on the impact of COVID-19 on education, including for refugees, in Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine.
The report is based on a CLS online survey which collected information from 678 people, the majority being parents (299), teachers (274) and (105) students.
Among several findings, the report found that teachers, parents and students agree that the quality of teaching and learning deteriorated during COVID-19 lockdowns and that students enrolled in public and non-formal schools received lower quality education than students in private schools.
[Photo © UNICEF]
The report also analyzed the level of preparedness for online training in each of the three countries, with Jordan being the most prepared. In Lebanon, refugee children enrolled in afternoon public schools were excluded from distance learning plans and thus lost access to schooling.
Additionally, the report explored barriers that hindered learning, including technology, financial support and salary cuts, as well as the disadvantages experienced by students with special needs.
Finally, the report provided several recommendations to be considered by policy makers, educators, and parents to better respond to emergencies beyond the pandemic particularly to protect and improve access to quality education, with a special focus on marginalized groups.