Public Education-a Blessing or a Curse?

Lebanese students at a school in Akkar (AFP Photo)

Lebanon’s public primary education system is in need of a dire reform, particularly the northernmost district of Akkar which has the highest illiteracy rate. According to a newspaper article, a 2010 study by Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) revealed that 32 % of the total student population attends public schools only.

The failure of public sector education in Lebanon is attributed to various factors. The system of recruiting public school teachers and the quality of teachers is quite problematic. No proper laws exist to ensure hiring of qualified teachers. Many teachers are hired on short-term tenure rather than being hired as full time teachers which translates into lower salaries and increased frustration among teachers. There is no system to gauge the qualification of contract teachers.

A 2009 report as part of a loan to Lebanon from the European Commission noted “insufficient pedagogical support to the teachers and a shortage of inspectors and pedagogic advisers” as a constraint for public education. Primary school dropout rates in Lebanonare increasing because the students from grade 1 to 3 are automatically transferred to the next class despite failing in any of the subjects but if they fail in any of the subjects in grade 4, they have to repeat the class. Flawed policies like this undermine the efficacy of public sector education system. Lebanon’s ministry wrote a National Education Strategy in 2010 that focuses on making education available for all, improving course curriculum and hiring competitive teachers. However, the implementation of this strategy is somewhat unclear.

The failure of public education is a common problem in many countries. The core concept of public education is to provide a tuition-free, publicly funded education to all children irrespective of race, religion and gender while maintaining good academic standards. Private schools, in contrast, are not obligated to admit students on merit or need basis. Private schools, in fact, wider financial disparities by distinguishing high cost private schools from low cost. It is the public schools duty to safeguard the quality of education while simultaneously meeting the special needs of children with disabilities. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Schools have, now, become the medium to perpetuate income inequality. A child born in a family with high socioeconomic status will more likely go to a high-cost private school and end up getting a higher paid job. On the contrary, a child born in an underprivileged family will be forced to go to a public school, study an out-dated curriculum and struggle to get a rewarding job. Hence, education which is an equalizer for any society ends up creating more unequal and economically polarized society. If education is becoming the root cause for social and economic differences, then is investment in human capital worthwhile?

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