Sheikh Mohammed launches online project for children of Lebanon to continue their education

It will use the UAE's Digital School aimed at helping pupils unable to attend school due to the continuing war

Volunteers entertain children who fled Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon at a shelter in Beirut on October 20. Photo: AFP

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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has launched an education programme to help children at risk of falling behind due to their inability to attend school because of the conflict in Lebanon.

Children in displacement centres in Lebanon will be able to continue their education through digital channels that can access content without an internet connection.

Operating under Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the programme will ensure the “continuity of education” for 40,000 children affected by the war.

It will be overseen by the Digital School, created by MBRGI to offer remote learning to refugees and pupils around the world whose education has been disrupted by a lack of infrastructure and resources.

The project will also provide educational programmes aligned with Lebanon's official curriculum and offer essential tools and training for teachers.

“The Lebanon Education Continuity Project will enable the Lebanese people to navigate the current challenges, particularly in the education sector, where a large number of children are at risk of falling behind due to their inability to attend school in this academic year,” said Mohammad Al Gergawi, secretary general of MBRGI.

“This initiative is crucial for Lebanese students' futures and reflects the UAE leadership's firm belief in education's vital role in community advancement.”

This month, Sheikh Mohammed instructed the provision of emergency food aid to be delivered through MBRGI in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme to benefit 250,000 people in Lebanon.

The UAE Stands with Lebanon campaign began this month under a directive from President Sheikh Mohamed to deliver a humanitarian relief package worth $100 million to the country. The initiative has garnered widespread community engagement. Participants from a host of nationalities and backgrounds contributed to relief efforts at collection centres in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah.

Sheikh Mohamed also directed $30 million in aid to support displaced Lebanese citizens in Syria.

The UAE also enabled the delivery of essential medical supplies, food as well as essential supplies for women and children to Lebanon through air and sea shipments.

More than 200,000 Lebanese have fled across the border amid Israeli air strikes, the UN said.