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PRESS RELEASE

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN LEBANESE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Beirut, Lebanon

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Lebanon Mission Director Denise A. Herbol officially launched a new after-school activities program for public schools throughout Lebanon with Minister Hassan Mneimneh and Director General Fady Yarak at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education on February 17, 2010.  These new activities will be implemented by the Lebanon Education Assistance for Development (LEAD) program.

The United States, through USAID, has provided $11.6 million in support of the LEAD program over the past four years. The program focuses on renovating schools in need of repair, providing computer and science labs to public schools, and supporting the expansion of after-school activities by building the capacity of school staff and headmasters.

In partnership with the University of Balamand and the Rene Mouawad Foundation, the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and the Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) will provide a comprehensive package of assistance to 30 public schools throughout Lebanon to improve their learning environments.  The program will also create student clubs and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) to encourage active involvement of school staff, students, parents and communities in the improvement of school learning environments.

In attendance at today’s event were the school principals of the 30 public schools that will benefit from this program.  In the past three years, 283 public schools located in all Lebanese districts have received assistance under the LEAD program.  Students at these schools have benefited from their improved learning environments, as well as from the availability of varied extracurricular activities and social and cultural awareness workshops.