Between displacement, overcrowding, fear, and weak internet, distance learning becomes a forced option. At the same time, it reveals a deep gap between what learning is supposed to be and what children are actually experiencing.
A mother becomes an entire “school”
Zahraa Faqih, a displaced mother from Beirut’s southern suburbs, describes her experience with online education as a “double burden” that does not fall on children alone, but on parents as well. She says she suddenly found herself taking on multiple roles at once: “I became a teacher, a principal, and a cook,” in the absence of the school environment that once structured her children’s daily lives.
She explains that managing three children inside the house, while sharing space with other families, is not an easy task. Each child needs a private space, focus, and close supervision, while the reality is completely different. Weak internet connectivity is a daily obstacle, as connections often drop or lag, causing parts of lessons-especially video content-to be missed.
Every child needs a private space, focus, and close supervision,
yet reality is entirely different.
In this context, she notes that the telecom company “touch” had previously provided users with a 20GB package dedicated to educational programs. However, its usefulness remains limited, as it cannot be used during holidays and is restricted to specific platforms, without allowing free browsing or downloading videos through apps like WhatsApp. She adds that during this month, with service disruptions coinciding with holidays, its benefit has become even less effective, despite being a positive step that partially eases the burden on families at times.
She also points out that the absence of school supervision further complicates the situation: “no exams, no close follow-up, no strictness like in school,” which directly affects discipline and comprehension, both of which she believes are significantly lower in online learning. Continuous fear and the sound of shelling also impact children’s mental well-being, making it difficult to enforce any strict commitment. Anxiety and lack of sleep—due to frequent nighttime awakenings—negatively affect their ability to concentrate in the morning.
Faqih believes that the curriculum will not be completed as required, noting that only a limited portion has been covered compared to what is expected, even with reduced school requirements. She adds that repeated interruptions caused by war widen the educational gap, while in-person learning, though available in some areas, remains unacceptable to her due to concerns for her children’s safety during commuting.
Education without a classroom… and without interaction
Fatima Zraqet, displaced from Haret Hreik, points out that asynchronous learning creates additional challenges, as lessons are sent in the form of videos at irregular times-“sometimes at 11 a.m.”-and students are expected to watch them on their own.
She explains that this method requires strong self-motivation from students and close parental supervision, which is exhausting under current conditions. She adds that the lack of direct interaction makes asking questions very limited—“often, no one asks”—which negatively affects understanding and comprehension.
She also notes that she makes extra effort to follow up with her children, who easily lose focus and forget what they watched, especially in the absence of classroom supervision. However, she considers the flexibility of this system a relatively positive aspect, as it does not impose strict morning schedules, easing some daily pressure—especially with multiple families sharing the same living space, along with the noise and overcrowding that come with it.
Ten children, one “classroom”
Layla Alik, displaced from Ainata to Hazmieh, describes an even more complex picture of education in overcrowded homes. She says: “Imagine ten children in one house, all attending online classes—what would that look like?”
She explains that she had to provide headphones for the children to reduce noise, yet challenges remain significant: “I don’t know how much they actually understand or benefit, as they often cannot complete assignments or participate with the teacher, especially when more than one child shares the same room.”
Despite all these difficulties, she prefers that distance learning continues—not because it is ideal, but because it prevents complete disruption: “What matters is that they stay within a learning environment,” as she puts it, until these circumstances end.
Children: between longing and rejection
Children themselves experience this reality in different ways. Many expressed a deep longing for school—not only for lessons, but for friends, teachers, and the atmosphere of play and laughter that cannot be replaced through screens.
On the other hand, some children, especially those aged between 10 and 15, expressed rejection of online learning, saying it increases pressure rather than reducing it, due to difficulty concentrating and the absence of direct interaction. Between these reactions, children try to fill their time in different ways—from learning new languages like Aramaic, to reading books and novels, or engaging in religious practices and praying for the war to end.
Despite this partial adaptation, longing for school remains strong—not only as a place for learning, but as a space for daily life, relationships, play, and routine.
School: more than education
Psychotherapist Charlotte Khalil emphasizes that school is not just an academic space, but a fundamental part of a child’s life in terms of belonging, routine, identity, and social interaction.
She explains that being away from school does not only mean losing lessons, but also losing a sense of stability, which can lead to feelings of disorientation and loss of direction, and may cause the child to feel they are falling behind others. She highlights that routine—especially for younger children—is essential for development, and its absence affects behavior, learning, and cognitive growth.
She warns that prolonged disruption may lead to lasting learning difficulties or to the belief that education is not a priority, posing a risk to an entire generation. She adds that the most dangerous outcome is when a child begins to lose hope and asks: “Why should I learn?”
At the same time, she stresses the importance of alternative education—even if simple—as a way to rebuild daily routines, reinforce continuity, and provide space for communication. The goal at this stage, she notes, is not perfection, but maintaining the minimum level of learning.
A gap between two sectors
In a broader perspective, Nidal Jouni, an expert in educational leadership, notes that education during crises in Lebanon reveals a clear gap between private and public schools.
She explains that the private sector has better resources, including ready-made platforms, educational videos, and structured administrative follow-up, allowing for more organized learning—often within a hybrid model combining in-person and remote education. This sector also has an added incentive to maintain quality, linked to its ability to collect tuition fees.
The experience of education during crises in Lebanon reveals a clear gap between private and public schools.
In contrast, the public sector faces major challenges, starting with a lack of devices and internet access, as several children often share one device or rely on a parent’s phone, limiting their ability to follow lessons. In many cases, education takes place عبر WhatsApp, through sending simplified videos and materials.
Challenges increase further in cases of displacement, where children and teachers lack basic resources such as books, notebooks, and devices, in addition to the absence of suitable study spaces within overcrowded shelters, where hundreds of people may share the same area.
When reality becomes stronger than education
Jouni points out that the absence of daily routines, disrupted sleep patterns, and constant exposure to news all negatively affect children’s ability to focus. The tense environment, fear for the future, and the losses families experience make learning almost impossible at times.
She warns that these conditions deepen educational gaps, noting that studies show the gap in the public sector can reach up to three academic years, threatening to widen social inequalities and reinforce them.
She adds that the lack of performance evaluation systems in the public sector, compared to the private sector, affects motivation and education quality, despite the presence of notable individual efforts by some teachers and administrators.
She also points out that repeated wars accumulate a sense of hopelessness among children, leading to a decline in their belief in the value of education, turning it from a tool for building the future into an additional burden in their lives.
Education… to preserve the future
Amid all these challenges, education is no longer just an academic path, but a form of resilience. Distance learning may not replace school and may be full of gaps, but it remains an attempt to avoid complete disruption and to preserve a fragile connection between the child and their future.
In a country accustomed to war, education has always been one of the few sources of stability. Today, amid all this collapse, the greatest challenge is not only continuing education, but preserving children’s belief that their education—and their future—is still worth striving for.
