Lebanese schools are usually able to accommodate around 300,000 students, which is quite adequate given the 275,000 that are expected to enroll for the 2014-2015 scholastic year. The remaining 25,000 seats will obviously be allocated to refugees, hence allowing them to resume their education as turmoil and conflict prevails over their motherland. Said circumstances and the great pressure targeting educational institutions incited Education Minister Elias Bou Saab to take certain measures as he had noted to Annahar daily.
Education Minister Elias Bou Saab called on parents to hasten enrolling their children in nurseries, kindergartens, primary and middle schools as well as public high schools, following a decree that restricted enrollment to Lebanese nationals, knowing that the registration deadline stretched over the past month of August. However, in spite of the circular, a great number of locals have not yet been registered in public schools.
According to the minister, the number of Lebanese students is around 275,000 individuals, while Syrian refugees seeking to enroll in public school is in the order of 400,000. Despite the numerous measures that involved setting up new schools and resorting to an afternoon shift, the number of additional seats only reached 100,000 with a cost of around $200,000 per year.
Bou Saab then pointed out that foreigners shall only be allowed to register after their Lebanese fellows, noting that the remaining seats will surely be limited while a major plan is underway and funded by international donors. Half of the amount has been secured, he revealed, while full funding to establish new schools and increase the number of afternoon shifts so as to assimilate the great flow of students is awaited.
The cost of hosting the great number of pupil-refugees has increased to around $600,000, knowing that the cost of each foreign student is of around one $1,500, adding that $150,000 to $200,000 were paid last year.
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