More than 340,000 people remained displaced in southern Lebanon as the new school year approached, according to humanitarian assessments cited by Reuters.

September normally carries a familiar sound: school gates opening, children walking with backpacks, teachers preparing classrooms, and families adjusting once again to the rhythm of a new academic year. In southern Lebanon, however, that rhythm has been interrupted for thousands of children who remain away from their homes.

More than 340,000 people were displaced in southern Lebanon as the new school year approached, according to figures cited by Reuters. Many families have been living away from their communities while schools and other public buildings have also been affected by displacement and security conditions.

For children, displacement creates challenges that extend beyond the classroom. A change of location can mean leaving behind friends, teachers, familiar routines, and the sense of continuity that normally accompanies a school year.

Some schools have also been used as temporary shelters, making the boundaries between education and emergency accommodation less distinct. Buildings designed for learning may instead become places where families sleep, store belongings, and wait for conditions to improve.

Education organizations have repeatedly emphasized the importance of continuity for displaced children. Maintaining access to lessons can help preserve routines and reduce the educational disruption caused by prolonged displacement.

But reopening a school is not simply a matter of unlocking its doors. Teachers must be available, buildings must be safe, transportation must function, and families need to feel able to send children to school.

The effects of displacement can also vary according to age. Younger children may struggle with unfamiliar environments and disrupted routines, while adolescents may face longer-term interruptions to their education, particularly if displacement continues over several academic periods.

For families, the decision about education is often linked to a larger question about where they will live. If a household remains uncertain about whether it can return home, enrolling children in a nearby school may become complicated.

Humanitarian organizations continue to work with local communities to support displaced families and maintain essential services. Education is one part of that wider response, alongside shelter, food, healthcare, water, and psychological support.

As the school year approaches, the contrast is clear. In some parts of Lebanon, classrooms are preparing for another ordinary September. In communities affected by displacement, families are still waiting for the conditions that would allow ordinary routines to return. For thousands of children, the school calendar has become another measure of how long uncertainty has lasted.

AI Image Disclaimer The images accompanying this article were created with AI for contextual purposes and do not portray actual displaced Lebanese children, schools, shelters, or humanitarian operations.

Sources Reuters UNICEF United Nations Lebanon Ministry of Education UNHCR