Education is a right, not a privilege. Unfortunately, there are many kids around the world that are out of school. In collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education in Lebanon, UNICEF Lebanon created a back-to-school video which shows that all children should have equal access to education. https://www.facebook.com/UNICEFLebanon/videos/1383410958423869/ Many Lebanese kids are working instead of attending schools to help their parents. Also, there are certain communities in Lebanon where child marriage is still a common practice. This is also affecting the school-aged Syrian refugees in Lebanon who do not have the means to go to school. There are many NGOs that are fighting against this international issue, and the world is witnessing many positive changes. However, a lot of work still needs to be done.
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
In fact, Lebanon, a UN Member State, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.This agenda includes 17 goals that the member states have to reach in order to create a sustainable society. One of these goals is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. So, by 2030, Lebanese should reach this goal, among many others.
The objectives of UNICEF’s campaign
UNICEF and The961 are collaborating to spread awareness about this issue. The main objective of this campaign is to increase the enrollment of school-aged children in 2017-2018. UNICEF also wants to make sure that children stay at school. Currently, public schools in Lebanon are providing 2 shifts: one in the morning for Lebanese students, and the another one in the afternoon for Syrian students. According to UNICEF, second shift schools should offer psychological and medical support for Syrian child refugees who are still traumatized by the war in their country. It is important to note that certified education, whether it’s regular or vocational, is a major factor that contributes to the growth of people and the development of the community since it helps to combat violence. UNICEF Lebanon wants to ensure that all school-aged children will attend school and graduate for free since there are many of them drop out. Victor Hugo, a prominent French author once said: “He who opens a school door, closes a prison”. This sentence says it all: education is one of the main pillars that support and contribute to the development of societies.