Across the Middle East, education systems are under immense pressure. Prolonged conflict, large-scale displacement, and ongoing economic challenges continue to shape the daily realities of schools, teachers, and learners.
In Lebanon, these pressures are particularly acute. Successive crises have disrupted schooling and placed a significant strain on students’ well-being. Evidence from national and school‑based studies points to rising levels of anxiety, bullying, and emotional distress among children and adolescents, alongside limited access to appropriate support.
In this context, schools are more than academic institutions. They are critical spaces where children and young people begin to rebuild stability, resilience, and a sense of belonging. Ensuring that these environments can support both learning and wellbeing is essential.
Why social and emotional learning matters
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is increasingly recognised as a key part of this response. SEL aims to support students’ emotional well-being alongside academic development, helping learners build the skills they need to cope with uncertainty, adapt to change, and engage meaningfully in their education.
For teachers, SEL offers practical approaches to managing diverse classroom needs and fostering more inclusive, supportive learning environments, particularly where students may have experienced disruption or trauma.
Partnering for locally led, system‑strengthening approaches
In Lebanon, Porticus partner World Learning is working with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD) to strengthen the integration of SEL into education. Through consultations with educators and institutions, the organisation is helping ensure that approaches to SEL are grounded in local realities and aligned with broader education priorities.
A key focus has been shifting away from fragmented, crisis‑driven initiatives towards more coherent and coordinated efforts. Mapping existing SEL and psychosocial initiatives has helped identify gaps, reduce duplication, and create greater alignment across actors working in the education space.
This collaborative approach places strong emphasis on local ownership. By engaging educators and institutions directly, partners help ensure that SEL is not seen as an external add‑on, but as a meaningful part of everyday teaching and learning.
From short‑term support to lasting impact
This multistakeholder approach is central to creating sustainable change. Rather than focusing solely on immediate needs, SEL offers a pathway to strengthen education systems over time, supporting both academic development and student well-being.
The impact can be both immediate and long‑term. In the short term, classrooms that integrate SEL can become safer, more inclusive spaces for learning. Over time, these environments can contribute to greater resilience among students and educators alike, helping education systems better withstand ongoing uncertainty.
Looking ahead
While challenges remain, continued collaboration between partners, educators, and institutions will be essential. In contexts shaped by instability, embedding SEL into how education systems function can help ensure they remain responsive, inclusive, and resilient, laying stronger foundations not only for individual learners, but for more cohesive societies in the future.
