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Volume 13, Issue 1  REGIONAL NEWS PRACTICAL INFORMATION RESEARCH
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Practical Information
Education in Lebanon Todayby Robert SedgwickEditor, WENR L
ebanon's infrastructure was severely damaged due to 16-years of bloody civil war. Miraculously, the educational system emerged from the violence largely intact. The American University in Beirut (AUB) survived numerous attacks during and after the war, and new universities were actually established during some of the heaviest periods of fighting.
A number of influences can be found in Lebanon's system of education owing largely to the country's diverse population and long history of foreign intervention. Approximately 70 percent of the country's population is Muslim (mostly Shi'ites, Sunnis and Druze) while Christians (Maronites, Greek Orthodox, Catholics and Armenians) represent 30 percent. French missionaries first began educational activities in Lebanon in the early 19th century, and in 1866, Presbyterian ministers from the United States founded AUB. Primary and secondary schools still follow the French system, while colleges and universities are largely based on the American model. Traditional Islamic and local Christian influences have always been strong and continue to play an important role in shaping the education system even today. Many believe that it is precisely the diversity and flexibility of this system that allowed it to escape the kind of devastation suffered by other civil sectors during the war.
Since 1997/98, the Lebanese educational system has been undergoing a series of structural reforms aimed at updating curricula and teaching methodologies while making educational programs more relevant to the needs of regional and global labor markets. These are the first educational reforms to be implemented since 1968.
Six years (formerly five) of primary school are compulsory for children aged six to 12.
Intermediate, or preparatory, education lasts three years (formerly four years), from age 12 to 15. At the end of this cycle, pupils must take the Brevet exam to enter secondary school.
Secondary education lasts three years (age 15 to 18) and is divided into three tracks: scientific, literary and technical/vocational. Under the current reform however, students will soon follow a common curriculum during the first secondary-school year before splitting into separate tracks. Track selections are determined by school principals and based largely on each student's Brevet examination results.
Towards the end of the secondary cycle, students are required to take the Lebanese baccalaureate exams in their respective tracks. Students who successfully pass the exam are awarded either the Lebanese Baccalaureate Certificate of Secondary Education (shahaadat al-bakaalouriyya al lubnaaniyya l'il ta'liim al-thaanawi)* or the Technical Baccalaureate (al-bakaaluriya al-fanniyya) according to their specialization.
* Students formerly took the Première Partie (Baccalaureat I) exam at the end of 11th grade and the Deuxième Partie (Baccalaureat II) exam at the end of 12th grade. The latter was required for admission to an institution of higher education. From 1990-91 however, this two-stage baccalaureate was replaced by the Lebanese Baccalaureate.
Admission to an institution of higher education in Lebanon currently requires a baccalaureate (see above), awarded after 12 years of primary and secondary school study, or an equivalent qualification.
It used to be that students who didn't take the baccalaureate exam could not enter a Lebanese university. But after the war, with so many Lebanese returning home and applying to institutions of higher education, the government began to exempt those students who did not attend primary and secondary school in Lebanon from taking the exam. Instead, they were permitted to enroll at U.S.-style Lebanese universities (AUB, Lebanese American University, and Notre Dame) beginning freshman year.
Some universities and institutions require students to take an entrance examination in addition to the baccalaureate prerequisite.
University Higher Education
Both private and public universities fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education and the Ministry of Technical and Vocational Education. All institutions of higher education in Lebanon are privately run with the exception of the Lebanese University, which offers free tuition. The academic year runs from October to June. Classes are taught in Arabic, French and English.
There are presently 14 universities operating in Lebanon:
Programs and Degrees
Stage 1: Some institutions offer two-to three-year programs leading to professional qualifications. A bachelor's degree, a licence, a maîtrise or diplôme are awarded after three to four years of study in most disciplines (for instance, liberal arts and humanities, sciences, education) and after five years of study in architecture, engineering and agriculture, depending on the institution attended.
Stage 2: One or two years of specialized study beyond the first degree leads to a maîtrise in non-scientific subjects, a master's degree (at the American University of Beirut), the magistere, the Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures (Diploma of Higher Studies), or the Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies (Diploma of Advanced Studies). The Diplôme de Pharmacien and the Docteur en Médecine are considered professional qualifications awarded after seven years of study.
Stage 3: This stage involves writing a dissertation leading to the doctoral degree. The Doctorat de Troisième Cycle is awarded after two years of study beyond the Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies. The Doctorat d'État (in medicine and pharmacology) is awarded after a further two years of study. Finally, the Ph.D. degree is only offered at American-style universities.
Non-University Higher Education
A secondary school credential, certificate or diploma is required for admission to a higher vocational/technical or other professionally non-university level program.
The secondary school credential most commonly submitted for admission is the baccalaureate although the technical baccalaureate is accepted as an alternative credential.
There are both public and private institutions offering technical education. Public technical institutes include the Technical Institute of Tourism, the Technical Teachers Institute, the Industrial Technical Institute and the Higher Institute for Marine Science.
Privately funded institutions include the Institute for Industrial Development; seven accounting institutes; four institutes for social work, physical therapy and pre-school education; and many vocational training centers.
Public vocational and training institutes award official diplomas. Private institutes confer certificates, which may be recognized by the General Directorate of Technical Training and are considered equivalent to official diplomas.
The highest diploma offered is the Technicien Supérieur (Higher Technician Diploma) awarded to candidates who have completed two years of academic study and training beyond the baccalaureate.
The Lebanese Ministry of National Education and Fine Arts' Directorate General of Technical and Vocational Training offers a Licence d'Enseignement Technique (Licence of Technical Training) to graduates of the National Pedagogical Institute of Technical Education. This qualification is considered as equivalent to the French maîtrise or the Licence d'Enseignment awarded by the Lebanese University.
Primary school teachers are trained at primary teacher training institutes. Admission requires a baccalaureate and students are awarded a teacher training diploma after successfully completing three years of study.
Those who plan to teach at the secondary-school level can go three routes: the faculty of education at the Lebanese University offers a five-year program leading to the Certificat d'Aptitude Pedagogique de l'Enseignement Secondaire; the American University of Beirut offers a postgraduate diploma in education; and Beirut University College offers a bachelor degree in education.
Higher education instructors must specialize in their teaching field at foreign universities or graduate faculties in Lebanon.
There are special entry requirements for foreign students. Both a visa and a residence permit are required. Applicants from abroad are expected to hold the equivalent of a Lebanese baccalaureate. Some universities administer language tests in addition to entrance exams. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in Arabic, English or French, depending on their field of specialization. Scholarships are granted in accordance with bilateral agreements forged with other countries.
For further information about foreign student admissions to Lebanese institutions of higher education, please refer to: Le Guide des Universités et des Instituts d'Etudes Supérieures au Liban, published in 1995 by the Ministère de la Culture et d'Enseignement Superieur.
The main organization dealing with issues relating to the recognition of foreign credentials and studies in higher education is the Commission Nationale des Equivalences, Ministère de l'Education Nationale.
Admission to IUT requires a Lebanese baccalaureate and a passing score on the university entrance exam administered at the start of each school year.
Academic programs are offered at the institute's three faculties: telecommunications and network engineering; maintenance and industrial engineering; and civil engineering: construction and public works. However, the creation of additional departments is anticipated for this school year. Programs are three years in length and lead to the Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie, awarded by the Faculté Libanaise.
Admission to the university requires a Lebanese baccalaureate or an equivalent qualification. Grading is on a 100-point scale with 70 being the minimum passing grade. Arabic is the main language of instruction.
The university's faculties and affiliate institutes and the awards they offer are as follows:
1) Faculty of Islamic Studies offers a bachelor's degree (ijaaza or bakaalouriyous), a master's degree and a doctorate.
2) The Medical Instrumentation Institute offers a diploma in technology and a bachelor's degree.
3) The Institute of Information Technology offers a diploma in technology, and a bachelor's degree (ijaaza or maîtrise).
4) The Faculty of Tourism offers a bachelor's degree (ijaaza or licence).
5) The Higher Institute of Languages and Translation offers proficiency certificates at various levels, in addition to a bachelor' degree program (ijaaza or licence).
6) The Higher Institute of Business Administration offers a master's degree.
The Lebanese University has established a new translation center as part of its Faculty of Letters. Admission into the program requires a Lebanese baccalaureate and an acceptable score on entrance examinations that test applicants' proficiency in Arabic, English and French. The center will offer a four-year licence in translation plus a one-year graduate diploma.
There are currently several institutions in Lebanon offering distance-learning programs in conjunction with American-based universities. The Lebanese American University, for instance, recently joined forces with Regents College to offer a degree program for students who did not pass their baccalaureate exams.
However, the Lebanese government does not presently recognize degrees earned through distance-learning programs.
SOURCES:
1) A Guide to Educational Systems Around the World; NAFSA; 1999
2) World Guide to Higher Education; UNESCO; 1996
3) Country Education Profiles: Lebanon; National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition; 1992
4) Correspondence from AMIDEAST
5) International Guide to Qualifications in Education; British Council; 1996
www.unesco.org/education/educprog/am/world/lebanon.htm
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