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Abstract
Lebanon is currently trapped in a full-scale emergency. Apart from the Syrian refugee mass influx of 2011, which had led the country to severe social and economic constraints, a civic uprising ignited in October 2019 against an incompetent government accused of sectarianism and corruption by the Lebanese people. Thousands of peaceful protesters from different religions and social classes assembled in cities across the country calling for social and economic reforms. Frustration and public anger have escalated in recent years over government's failure to manage the country's waste and economic crisis. Lebanon currently confronts a debt, fiscal, currency and banking crisis which inevitably impacted its educational sector. Unlike many countries where public schools are most commonly frequented, Lebanon relies on its private schools including Catholic Schools to educate two-third of students. The current crises are forcing working class families to pull their children out of private schools into the state system.
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Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
Notes
1 Some of the major Congregations and the Schools they founded: The Lazaristes founded College Saint Joseph d’Antoura, the Jesuits founded Notre Dame de Jamhour, the Maristes Brothers founded College de la Salle, the Nazareth Sisters founded College Notre Dame de Nazareth, the Sisters Of the Holy Heart founded the College des Saint Coeur Sioufi, etc.
2 40% of the population are Christian, 54% are Muslims and the remaining 6% belong to the Druze.
3 The Maronite church, officially known as the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, is an eastern Catholic church self-governed under the Code of Canons of Eastern Churches. It is in full communion with the pope and Catholic Churches worldwide and led by Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi since 2011 in Bkerke, Lebanon.
4 Professional teaching in music, accounting and IT, hospitality management, topography, interior design, interior architecture and electronics.
5 Lebanon is currently facing a ‘Brain Drain’ in the wake of the economic meltdown and the Beirut blast that occurred on the 4th of August. The young generation is compelled to leave the country in the search of better opportunities. It is believed that there are more Lebanese residing outside Lebanon (6–9 million) than within the country (4 million), and diasporas are present all around the globe including Brazil, United States, France, Venezuela, Canada, Australia and United Arab Emirates.
6 Lebanon's educational system is facing challenges of pluralism in areas of history and religious teaching. Concerns for nationalization have been an omnipresent phenomenon over the last few decades due to political changes and multi-communal coexistence. Research (Abouchedid et al. Citation2002) has revealed that exposing students to knowledge about diversity, may reduce intolerance, enhance cooperation and promote mutual understanding among students from different religious backgrounds. Thus there is a need to implement multi-faith policies in schools, to reinforce catholic values of acceptance, and unity between the Lebanese people, regardless of religious or political differences.
7 ‘Rapid structural changes, profound technical innovations and the globalization of the economy affect human life more and more throughout the world’ (1998).
8 The diverse religious bodies in Lebanon refuse to separate religion from religious institutions such as schools.
9 The government subsidizes schools that are free of charge.
10 Some of the usual donors are Lebanese expatriates living abroad mainly in the United States of America who can deduce the amount of their donations from their taxes.
11 The Secretary General’s statements concurred with the majority of the teachers’ statements. He expressed clearly his stance about the actual status of the Lebanese Catholic Schools. The interview lacked a clear vision and an action plan to save the Catholic Schools in Lebanon which are battling to keep up with the general instability that the country is going through.
12 Trainings are usually received in Lebanon.
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Notes on contributors
Maha Mouchantaf
Maha Mouchantaf is an associate professor at Notre Dame University (NDU), Louaize, Lebanon, and the former Chairperson of the Department of English, Translation, and Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Management from Université de Corse – France, an M.A. in Educational Management from the Lebanese American University, Lebanon, and a B.A. in Communication Arts, Journalism and Radio/T.V. Production from the same university.
Her research has mainly focused on exploring gender differences, cultural diversity and leadership styles in administration. She has rich experience in school management and her research interests continue to centre on issues related to shaping better leaders as well as bridging the gaps in the Lebanese education system, and service learning. She participated in the evaluation of the project ‘Relief and Reconciliation for Syria’ carried out by FLPS/GIR and LERC from NDU.
She has conducted several trainings and workshops on leadership and management and prevention of violent extremism with the British Council. She has published on female leadership in Lebanon and on issues pertaining to gender differences in school administration and service learning.