Schools of Lebanese sects

530 schools

312,000 students

27,000 teachers and staff

Article 10 of the Lebanese Constitution stipulates that “education is free so long as it does not disturb the public order, does not violate the morals, and does not touch the dignity of any religion or creed. The rights of sects to establish their own private schools cannot be violated, provided that they comply with the general requirements laid down by the State with respect to public education”. It enshrines the right of Lebanese sects to establish their private “free” and fee-paying schools, which total 530 schools or 34% of private schools and have 312,000 or 45% of students and 27,000 or 47% of teachers and staffs. The majority (64%) of these schools are Christians.

Number of schools, students and staff

According to the statistical bulletin issued by the Center for Educational Research and Development (CRDP) for the academic year 2019-2020, 1,033,812 students were enrolled in 2,796 schools, distributed as in Table No. 1 below.

Table No. 1: Number of schools, students and staff.

Source: CRDP, statistical bulletin 2019-2020.

Note: The private “free” schools are private primary schools to which parents pay a contribution of no more than 150% of minimum wage (about LBP 1 million) and the State contributes 150% of minimum wage for each student.

Private “free” schools of sects: 153

153 or 43% of private “free” schools belong to sects. They have 59,009 students or 44.2% of total private “free” school students and 3,595 staff or 48.1% of total school personnel, with the Maronite sect having the largest number of schools and students (68 schools and 21,665 students).

The private “free” schools are distributed by sect as shown in Table No. 2 below.

Table No. 2: Private “free” schools by sect.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Private fee-paying schools of sects: 377

377 or 31.1% of private fee-paying schools belong to sects. They have 252,889 students or 45% of total private fee-paying school students and 24,074 staff or 47% of total school personnel. As shown in Table No. 3 below, the Maronite sect has the largest number of schools (172 or 46% of total private fee-paying schools belonging to sects), with 124,463 students enrolled (50% of total private fee-paying school students).

Table No. 3: Private fee-paying schools by sect.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

The following tables (No. 4-10) show the private “free” schools by sect and Qada‘a.

Table No. 4: Sunni private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 5: Shia‘a private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 6: Druze private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 7: Maronite private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 8: Greek Orthodox private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 9: Greek Catholic private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 10: Armenian, Evangelical and other Christian private “free” schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

The following tables (No. 11-17) show the private fee-paying schools by sect and Qada‘a.

Table No. 11: Sunni private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 12: Shia‘a private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 13: Druze private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 14: Maronite private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 15: Greek Orthodox private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

Table No. 16: Greek Catholic private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.

 

Table No. 17: Armenian, Evangelical and other Christian private fee-paying schools.

Source: Information International based on CRDP statistical bulletin, 2019-2020.