In the last two months of 2019 the Lebanese revolution broke out and the economic situation started declining, at the same time the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world. These crisis and the economic dizaster finished off the education in Lebanon, then the economic inflation started to grow without limitations, and that was like a knockout for education in Lebanon.
21,February 2020, The Lebanese ministry of health reported the first case of Covid-19, closed all the universities, schools, malls and the airport. Although Lebanese people didn't take it serious and the confirmed Covid-19 cases increased so fast which forced the schools and universities to stay closed till the end of the year. It was very tough days, collapse in the health services,education, labor, and the biggest problem was in the currency market our Lebanese lira lost its value.
Schools and universities shifted for E-learning without any previous preparation, Neither the teachers are prepared nor the students, even the parents were not excited at all for online learning, but it's not only about their feelings economically they aren't ready for online learning, most of the Lebanese families does not have an internet connection in their houses, and those who have are struggling with the unstable connection. Also there is a large segment of the Lebanese society does not have laptops or tablets to study on them, it is very rare to find a family each member of it owns personal device. One day i was sitting with a father of four kids, he shows me his phone how he received lectures, assignments and learning material of four different classes, it was terrible, and most of the times he delete what the school send because his old phone can't handle this amount of media !
For learning material it was not delivered properly for the students. Universities was a little bit prepared, they already have the potency for online learning as professors, staff members or students, but the schools especially governmental middle schools were struggling. Most of the teachers are not trained to use the modern technology in teaching, they were sending the lessons to students as PowerPoint slides via WhatsApp. Even the assesments,home works is written by the parents for the kids. Evaluations and exams was formal.
Absolutely Lebanese students did not learn anything in 2020, and the school year ended by a decision from the minister of education to raise all the students to the next grade without any evaluation. The same thing happens in 2021 but with harder conditions, very low socio-economic status of the students and teachers, very hard feelings and low potency for learning.
May god bless and protect our beautiful country, and the best wishes for our patient sisters and brothers the lebanese people, they are living very hard days.
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