Lebanon

Lebanon

Literacy Project

Reaching All Children

In 2022, Room to Read launched our program “Reaching All Children” in Lebanon. Given the challenges in the Lebanon context, Room to Read plans to implement a project to support reading among primary school-age children through non-formal education (NFE) centers in Lebanon. The main objective of the project is to support the transition of out-of-school children into the formal school system by strengthening children’s literacy and habit of reading. With a stronger foundation in reading, children will be better positioned to pass the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) exam required to enter the formal public school system.

GOAL: To support the transition of out-of-school children into the formal school system by strengthening children’s literacy skills and habit of reading.

1. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) book printing and distribution

  • 60 Room to Read children’s books printed in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).
  • 180,000 books distributed to up to 1,800 non-formal education (NFE) centers in Lebanon through local organizations that serve children enrolled in NFE.

2. Non-formal education center libraries

  • 50 libraries established in NFE centers by local organizations.
  • 5-10 local organizations trained to carry forward the best-in-class Room to Read library model, adapted for the NFE context in Lebanon.

3. Early grade reading research

  • Situational analysis (SA) conducted on Early Grades Reading (EGR) instruction in formal and non-formal education in Lebanon,. This objective of the analysis is to understand the current context of early grades literacy in Lebanon and how Room to Read can add value to ongoing efforts in this area. The analysis will also feed into our regional strategy for literacy instruction support for Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) more broadly for the MENA region.

 

By the numbers: Children benefited

By 2024, the project will directly benefit 52,000 children including: 

  • 16,000 children through libraries established in 50 non-formal education centers.
  • 36,000 children through the distribution of books to 1800 non-formal education centers throughout the country.

Lebanon instructor reading to a classroom.



Long term

This project sets the foundation for working with national education partners in Lebanon to further impact the education system and benefit many more children throughout the country.

  • Implementing partners trained on the Room to Read library model will have the capacity to carry the model forward to benefit children in more NFE centers throughout the county.
  • The project will work with the Ministry of Education to have books approved for distribution into formal schools to benefit children in government schools across the country.
  • The Early Grades Reading research will lay a foundation for supporting more children through early grades reading instruction in both non-formal and/or formal school settings in Lebanon and beyond.

 

Progress as of December 2022

  • More than 1,500 book sets of 20 MSA titles have been printed.
  • 1,000 book sets have been distributed to over 30,000 children across Lebanon.
  • Over 1,000 primary level books have been reviewed and categorized into levels, genres and book types.