Beirut: Marking the third anniversary of the Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF), and under the patronage of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) convened its second High-Level Strategic Management Board meeting. The gathering reaffirmed Lebanon's unwavering commitment to education and sought to mobilize the technical, financial, and political support needed to safeguard and strengthen the public education system, including for Out of School Children, through the current crises and into the future.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, established in 2022 in partnership with UNICEF and contributing partners, particularly founding donors the European Union, Germany through the German Development Bank KfW, and recently France through the Agence Fran§aise de D©veloppement (AfD), Switzerland, UK, Netherlands, Italy, Finland, and Norway, TREF is an aid modality that focuses on delivering quality and inclusive education for all children, and supports reforms aligned to MEHE's Strategic Vision 2025-2030.
The Lebanese Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam emphasized the challenges faced by Lebanon's children, stating, "Lebanon's children face the gravest of challenges, threatening not only individual futures but the very foundation of our national stability and cohesion. Throughout this difficult period, the Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF) has stood as a partner to Lebanon, helping us keep schools open, ensuring teachers could persevere, and allowing children to hold on to the promise of a better tomorrow. For this, we express our gratitude."
Dr. Salam further highlighted the importance of valued teachers and functioning schools, asserting that Lebanon cannot prepare its children for tomorrow with outdated curricula. He affirmed the government's commitment to safeguarding the right to education, stating, "Our partnership with the international community through TREF reinforces it and ensures Lebanon's public schools remain places of equal opportunity, social stability, and national renewal."
The Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Rima Karami, also underscored TREF's role in advancing MEHE's long-term vision. She stated, "The ministry is placing the learner and the institutions that support them at the heart of sustainable reform. Together, we are building a resilient education system that safeguards every child's right to learn."
By supporting MEHE's core domains of a quality education system, TREF is reinforcing governance, accountability, and equity, while supporting delivery pathways for all learners, including the most marginalized and those out of school. It has channelled multi-year support to strengthen Lebanon's education system and supports reforms to improve teaching and learning, governance, and cost-efficiency.
EU Ambassador to Lebanon, Ms. Sandra De Waele, emphasized the international community's commitment to supporting Lebanon's public education system. She stated, "Every child, without distinction, should access inclusive and quality education. We commend the Ministry of Education and the Lebanese Government for their steadfast efforts to guarantee education for all children across Lebanon."
Donors also highlighted the critical importance of sustainable domestic financing, welcoming the Ministry's success in mobilizing national resources for the 2025/2026 school year. They expressed hope that such contributions will be systematically included in Lebanon's national budget in the years ahead.
UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Marcoluigi Corsi, stated, "Education is the most important investment any nation can make in its future. With the unwavering support of our donors, we already delivered many achievements mainly expanding access to learning, protecting the most vulnerable, and strengthening public schools."
The TREF High Level Strategic Management Board agreed on the overall vision for the partnership during the upcoming School Year 2025/2026, focusing on collaboration with children, teachers, and schools to improve access to quality and inclusive education.