The General Directorate of Education of the Ministry of Education aims to unify and activate the measures to protect children, both in terms of prevention of violence and responding to it, to be implemented in all Lebanese schools.
The Ministry of Education’s vision is to ensure a safe and positive school environment that provides favorable conditions for learning. This will be achieved firstly through prevention, which is provided to pupils through periodic psychological and social support and individual meetings, and secondly through responses, which cannot be activated without cooperation between the concerned ministries. In this context, the mechanism for dealing with cases of violence has been developed. It begins with early and safe monitoring of such cases, followed by a description of the case and taking appropriate measures, and end by a subsequent follow-up on the child after taking the appropriate actions. We also note that these measures give teachers a role in protection, a fundamental component of the policy.
The implementation, evaluation and adjustment of the policy at the central level is pursued through the Educational Guidance Unit of Counseling and Guidance Bureau, which includes a child protection team and which supervises the work of educational mentors who follow the policy in schools.
The protection of students is a common responsibility that requires, alongside the Ministry of Education’s measure, the combined efforts of each actor who plays a role in children’s lives, including the local community, international and local organizations, partner Ministries and, in particular, parents.
After all, the shaping of citizens begins with education.