Fallout from the K-12 chaos can seriously affect Higher Education

It is an unfortunate fact that all is not well at the K-12 level in the Lebanese educational system. This is particularly true for the government K-12 schools, although private schools have their share of trouble as well.

A well-known fact is that much of the high-quality higher education historically offered by some private and public universities in Lebanon was partly based on the high caliber of high-school graduates. Our output was outstanding because our input was. It still is thus far. This quality talent supply chain is now threatened by the successive ordeals affecting the K-12 sector. Remedial action is needed now as we are quickly running out of time. This write-up is a call to action before the damage becomes irreversible.

Government Schools

Insofar as government schools are concerned, the crisis is deep and far-reaching. It can be summed up under three main headers:

• Teacher discontent and absenteeism due to insufficient financial resources.

• Crowdedness due to massive transfers from private schools for economic reasons.

• Refugee pressures and inadequate facilities coupled with shortages in learning resources.

In so far as the higher education system is concerned, this situation mainly translates to a threat affecting the number of excellent students we get from government schools every year. This special group of gifted students is among the best we get. They easily qualify for generous financial aid from the university as well as outside sources and do very well academically. Losing them or a drop in their numbers or level would be a major setback for us and for them.

The sad fact that we are still debating whether or not government schools can have a complete academic year epitomizes our current situation. Most of last year as well was lost due to teacher stoppages for various reasons.

Private Schools

While private schools are generally in better shape compared to their public counterparts, they also have their fair share of problems. Among them:

• Major conflicts with teachers concerning salaries and currency of payment; actual strikes and strike threats are common.

• Escalating fees beyond what many families can afford which triggers an exodus toward public schools.

• Insufficient funds pushing some private schools to seriously consider closure or severe curtailing of services.

• Ongoing conflicts between private schools and parent committees.

Valiant Efforts

Despite the valiant efforts of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and the around-the-clock efforts of the Minister, the situation continues to be ominous. It carries multiple threats that can be quite detrimental to students and the higher education system as well. They include, inter-alia:

• Depriving numbers of deserving students of the opportunity to finish their high-school education and compete effectively for college admission.

• Diminished quality of high-school graduates leading to lower levels of admission to competitive universities in the country and abroad.

• A higher attrition rate among top universities in the country, which is always undesirable.

• Another major dip for Lebanon as a major regional educational hub as it used to be. This status is eroding fast and we don’t need to make it any worse.

• Major universities in Lebanon will be taking a reputational risk possibly affecting their brand equity, ranking, and international standing.

• Multiple forms of collateral damage affecting university academic progress, student life, faculty productivity, and university resource allocation where more will have to be invested in pre-college preparatory “bridge” programs.

• A widening gap beyond what is already apparent between Lebanon and some other MENA countries that have been making steady progress in higher education over the past few years. This is a grave issue that will affect Lebanon’s competitiveness as a brain exporter and a regional hub for expertise. The risk is made all the greater due to the current digital wave on which we are generally lagging.

A Call to Action

What is all too obvious is that we should be working together to get out of this impasse as quickly as possible to thwart the multiple risks outlined above. A concerted effort is needed and it should involve MEHE, major private universities, the Lebanese University, foreign and domestic donor institutions, and concerned Lebanese opinion leaders. Urgently needed are resources to support public schools, assist threatened private schools, and offer a safety net to students whose future is threatened. Some specific steps to consider:

• Universities can direct their fundraising toward supporting greater numbers of public-school graduates.

• More can and should be invested in pre-college bridge programs to obviate any shortcomings among incoming high-school graduates.

• Launching a massive communication campaign to sharpen public awareness of the downhill course toward which the country is sliding. This campaign should involve both traditional and social media.

• Creating alliances and networking relationships between major universities and top K-12 public and private schools. The purpose would be to support students, address their problems and provide them with a safety net.

• Finding ways to assist MEHE in its mammoth effort to save the public K-12 school network.

Postscript

The entire educational system in Lebanon has been under enormous pressure since the onset of the crisis in fall 2019. While different institutions are affected differently in terms of “how” and “how much,” a common thread is this dysfunctional level of uncertainty and confusion leading to a day-to-day running of affairs. This has led to near-paralysis which has to be overcome.

Our sector has been instrumental in building the glory of Lebanon over the past decades. It should now spearhead the country’s recovery. This is a joint responsibility and LAU is at the forefront for reversing the tide.