LEBANON - Lebanon’s Education Minister Rima Karami announced a new $570,000 European Union contribution to support 37 public schools in border areas during a field tour in southern Lebanon.

The funding, provided through the EU and implemented in partnership with UNICEF under the Education Trust Fund (TREF), targets schools selected based on vulnerability levels and student enrollment.

The latest contribution adds to $13.8 million already committed this year to support private and public schools in the South and Nabatieh governorates.

Minister Karami visited several public schools alongside representatives of the European Union and UNICEF, reaffirming what she described as a shared commitment to safeguarding children’s right to education and ensuring school continuity in frontline villages.

“The education of our children cannot wait,” Minister Karami said during the tour. “Students in the South deserve to have their schools remain open, their hopes preserved, and their future protected.”

A UNICEF representative reiterated the agency’s commitment to maintaining schools as safe spaces that provide stability and psychosocial support for children amid difficult conditions.

The visit also included distributing educational supplies to 98 schools.

More than 44,000 students benefited from over 150,000 textbooks, 1,400 digital devices, internet connectivity tools, and stationery kits.