Crises impact on special needs education in Lebanon

Swiss partners

• HES-SO, Haute école de gestion de Genève: Sabine Emad (main applicant), Felicia Soulikhan, Léana Mannshardt

• HES-SO, Haute école de gestion de Fribourg: Samuele Meier, Magali Dubosson

Partners in the MENA region

• Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Liban: Michele Kosremelli Asmar (main applicant), Joumana Yeretzian

Presentation of the projet

This research proposal aims to build on and deepen the results of a previous collaboration that was designed to reveal the perceptions of teachers, school staff, other students and their parents regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities. Although this project was deeply impacted by the unprecedented economic and health crises, it nevertheless highlighted the disparities in perceptions between private and public schools, among individual schools in the same region, and across different regions. While the attitudes of the participants were generally supportive, and laudable initiatives had been undertaken, the 3 consecutive crises (economic collapse, covid 19 and Beirut port explosion) have completely disrupted the situation and undermined the efforts made. The context has dramatically altered structures, people and objectives.

In a situation where the system has been brutally disrupted, and where everyone has to cope with a context of strong general impoverishment, the inclusion of special needs children, who in the statistics represent a small minority, has sadly been greatly neglected. In light of this context, our project aims to study the situation of inclusive schools as it has been impacted by these unprecedented crises, and to propose possible solutions for pursuing this same ambition, even though resources are limited and the system has been severely shaken. The context of this crisis and its dimensions can serve as a field of observation for other regions suffering from more or less similar conditions.

To achieve this aim, we plan to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups in private and public schools in the 9 regions. In addition, we will be interviewing officials from the Ministry, school boards and project managers from non-governmental agencies involved. The aim is to triangulate the information gathered in order to draw out the main findings, which will be discussed at a participatory conference organized by the researchers. The aim is to work with representatives of stakeholders in Lebanon likely to promote inclusion in the complex system of a country where the crises seem to have become entrenched. Our intention is to publish a handbook of best practices and possible solutions that can be used not only to work towards the inclusion of disabled children in Lebanon, but also in any country facing severe economic conditions and/or wishing to move towards meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.