Iraq's education minister approves opening of Lebanese schools amid influx of refugees

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Minister of Education Ibrahim Namis al-Jubouri has approved the opening of several Lebanese schools in Iraqi provinces to accommodate the growing number of Lebanese families arriving in the country, the ministry announced on Thursday.

The decision was made during a meeting between al-Jubouri and Lebanese Ambassador Ali Habhab, according to a statement by the Iraqi Ministry of Education.

The ministry’s statement noted that al-Jubouri approved the proposal to establish Lebanese schools in provinces where Lebanese students are concentrated, aiming to facilitate their education and allow them to continue their curriculum. The move follows the arrival of over 11,000 Lebanese families, with more than 100 students already enrolled in Iraqi schools under a wide-ranging humanitarian and governmental effort.

In late September, Iraq’s Ministry of Education directed schools to ease the enrollment process for displaced Lebanese students. The influx of Lebanese families into Iraq has been driven by escalating Israeli military operations in Beirut’s southern suburbs.