Public Schools Damaged by Beirut Blast Rehabilitated Under 3RF

UNICEF - The huge explosions in Beirut’s port on August 4 last year did not spare the Lebanese capital’s schools as it brought devastation to large swathes of the city. Piles of rubble and broken glass lay in the corridors and courtyards of affected public schools as UNICEF swiftly set about assessing their rehabilitation needs and ensured repairs to classrooms that suffered light damage.

Many schools were left with no windows, no doors and broken walls. Rebuilding schools posed another challenge to the nation’s education system; one that was already reeling from an economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

Through funding from the European Union, and Germany through the German development bank KfW, UNICEF has completed rehabilitation work at four of the city’s damaged public schools, enabling students to return to their classrooms.

Two of Sed El Baouchrieh’s schools are among those to recently reopen.

At Sed El Baouchrieh Public School for Boys (above), UNICEF oversaw the full rehabilitation of all existing windows, as well as the installation of new aluminum-framed and marble-silled windows (below).

Brand new laminated doors, with steel frames, were installed in classrooms and offices (below), while all existing steel doors and window frames were completely refitted.

Throughout the school, all corridors, classrooms (below), and offices were repainted, as were the school’s exterior facades and playground walls.

Nearby, Sed El Baouchrieh Public School for Girls was similarly impacted by the August explosions. Today, it too has been rehabilitated.

Here, all windows and doors have been replaced or repaired, while the interior has been completely repainted – including classrooms, offices and common areas.

Through the recently completed rehabilitation programme, more than 3,650 students - including children with disabilities - will benefit from a better learning environment and safer infrastructure.

Omar Hamad Public School (above) now has a new aluminium bay window running along all corridors on its three floors. It has been further rehabilitated through the installation of new laminated doors for each classroom, as well as benefitted from a fresh coat of paint (below)!

The fourth school to be rehabilitated as part of the programme is Sin El Fil Public School.

Here, interior wall painting included the staircase and some corridors, as well as the painting of the children’s covered play area.

Doors and windows were repaired or replaced throughout…

…and new a false ceiling was added to classrooms on the upper floor.

In addition, UNICEF undertook the repair of partitions in children’s toilets.

Today, through the European Union’s and KfW’s funding, more of Beirut’s schools are back in great shape and gearing up to welcome their students back into their classrooms as fulltime education gets set to recommence.