UNRWA closes school for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon's Tripoli

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has announced the closure of Rafah School in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli and the redistribution of its students among other schools.

The agency is also moving towards closing Al-Bireh School in the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut, while there have been reports of plans to reduce some programmes at the Siblin Vocational and Technical Training Centre.

These reductions come amid difficult conditions faced by Palestinian refugees, raising serious questions about their educational and social impact on students and their families, as well as teaching staff.

Closing a school and transferring its students to other schools is not simply a change in the location of their studies. It also results in the dispersal of students, increased classroom overcrowding in receiving schools, and additional burdens on families in terms of transport and time.

"There are several educational and social repercussions that must be taken into consideration regarding the decision to close Rafah School. About 40 of its students live in the Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camps, and closing the school will force them to return to the schools in the camps. This will result in a change to the educational environment they have become accustomed to," Ahmed Ghanoumi, head of the Palestinian Popular Committees in northern Lebanon, told The New Arab.

"The rest of the school's students live in the Mina area and are expected to move to Lydda School in the Zahriyeh area. This move will place additional financial burdens on families and will also increase the time students need to travel to and from school," he further said.

"Lydda School has about 140 students from the Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camps, and they will also be asked to return to the schools in the two camps. This could lead to a change in their educational level because of differences in teaching methods and educational conditions. Rafah School classrooms are characterised by their small size, with between 16 and 20 students in each class. In the camp schools, however, there are up to 40 students in each class," Ghanoumi added. "Therefore, transferring the students will negatively affect their ability to absorb and concentrate as a result of overcrowding and differences in the educational environment."

"Lydda School currently has about 300 students. If Rafah School students move there, the number will rise to about 450," he continued. "This would lead to significant classroom overcrowding, negatively affecting the quality of education and the ability of teachers and administrators to provide an appropriate educational environment for students. Rafah School also has about 30 administrative and teaching staff members. They are not expected to lose their jobs but will instead be distributed among schools where vacancies are available."

"However, this measure will have a direct impact on the employment opportunities available to people who sat recruitment examinations and passed them," Ghanoumi concluded.

On 27 August, the Education Programme for the Palestinian Refugee Community in northern Lebanon stated preparations for the 2026-2027 academic year at UNRWA schools in Lebanon.

It said the agency was continuing efforts to improve the learning environment and facilities available to students in preparation for the new academic year.

The statement said Jenin and Jordan River schools in the Beddawi camp had been refurbished, providing students with more comfortable learning spaces.

It also said the building of Batouf Primary School for Girls in the same camp had been expanded by adding 15 classrooms, a rooftop playground and a lift to improve access for students with disabilities.

This would allow the school to accommodate more students and reduce classroom overcrowding.

The statement added:  "For students enrolled at Rafah School, new arrangements will be adopted. Most students live in Beddawi camp and will be accommodated in schools in the camp, allowing them to continue learning close to their homes and avoid travelling to Tripoli. The same applies to students from Nahr al-Bared camp, while Rafah School students living in Tripoli, numbering about 140 boys and girls, will be accommodated at the nearby Lydda School. UNRWA will ensure that all students affected by these arrangements have places in schools, and no teacher or employee will lose their job as a result of these arrangements. UNRWA considers education a priority and remains committed to ensuring that no Palestinian refugee child is left without education and that every child has access to a safe learning environment."

The Palestinian Popular Committees in northern Lebanon, for their part, issued a statement rejecting the closure of Rafah School and the dispersal of its students.

They warned UNRWA of the consequences of failing to reverse its decision because of the direct harm it would cause to the educational process, students and their families.

The factions said the closure of Rafah School could not be treated as an ordinary administrative measure and came as part of an ongoing policy of merging schools, reducing services and closing centres.

This negatively affects the situation of Palestinian refugees and increases the living, social and educational burdens they face.

The Palestinian Popular Committees stressed that they would not stand idly by in the face of any step affecting the rights of refugees and their basic services, foremost among them their children's right to education.

They said they would pursue the issue with all relevant parties and take appropriate steps to defend the school, its students and their rights.

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.