Lebanese parties angry over govt decision on undocumented Syrian students

A number of political parties in Lebanon have denounced what they called a "dangerous" decision by the government to issue diplomas to unregistered Syrian students in the country, claiming this would help facilitate their naturalisation.

A decree by the education ministry last week stipulated that Syrian refugee students who have passed official exams would receive diplomas allowing them to enrol in technical institutes for the 2024-2025 academic year, even if they do not have legal residency permits.

In Lebanon, public technical and vocational schools offer certified education at all levels, including an intermediate certificate awarded to students for grades 7-9, a secondary-level certificate for grades 10-11, Higher Technicians' Diploma, and Technical License.

The Lebanese Forces (LF) and Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) – Lebanon’s two main Christian parties who have long opposed the presence of large Syrian refugee numbers in the country – have slammed the government decree, calling on it to immediately reverse its decision.

Lebanon’s executive branch is currently in caretaker capacity amid a nearly two-year presidential vacuum.

Both parties argue that giving diplomas to Syrian students without proper residency permits and allowing them to enrol in Lebanese technical institutes would keep them in the country, despite their status.

Outraged by the decision, the FPM said in a statement "this would encourage Syrian families residing illegally in Lebanon to stay, as long as they are guaranteed quality education."

"The FPM will take all necessary legal measures against this illegal decision to protect the country's interests," the statement adds.

The LF echoed its political rival’s statement, also calling the decision illegal and that it "would not only encourage Syrians in an irregular situation to remain in Lebanon, but also prompt those in Syria to send their children to enrol in technical institutes in Lebanon, to the detriment of Lebanese students."

Denouncing the decision 

Officials from other parties have also spoken out against the education ministry’s decision.

In turn, the education ministry, headed by caretaker Minister Abbas Halabi, issued a statement over the weekend defending the decree.

The decision "in no way facilitates their [Syrian refugees] residency in Lebanon if not authorised by the authorities, as General Security [apparatus] ensures that appropriate measures are taken," the statement read.

Lebanon’s General Security apparatus is responsible for issuing legal documentation for nationals and foreigners.

The "educational path of displaced Syrians is completely independent of that of Lebanese students," the ministry says, adding that this measure does not affect Lebanese students in any way.

However, caretaker tourism minister Walid Nassar said cabinet members were not given enough time to discuss the matter, saying the decision was taken outside the cabinet agenda.

He said Halabi’s explanation as to why his ministry approved this decree "was brief...at a time when the ministers were not able to study its dimensions to take the appropriate decision."

Similar to the LF and FPM, Nassar also requested the caretaker education minister "to freeze the decision before it is re-discussed by the government and to limit it only to the Syrian students residing legally in Lebanon."

But Nassar clarified that the cabinet’s decision "prohibits the enrolment of any Syrian student who does not have legal residency for the 2025-2026 academic year."

Around 2 million Syrian refugees are currently living in Lebanon after fleeing the war in Syria, making Lebanon the number one host of refugees per capita in the world, according to Lebanese authorities. But many of them are undocumented, making it hard to gather precise figures.

Syrian refugees have often come under attack by many Lebanese officials, who claim refugees have become an added strain on Lebanon’s hard-hit economy and crumbling infrastructure.

They also accuse the UN and foreign powers of plotting to naturalise the Syrians in Lebanon by stopping them from returning to Syria, where many are at risk of detention or even murder.

However, other officials, activists and rights groups have hit back against the rhetoric, saying Lebanon’s crises are a result of decades of rampant corruption and mismanagement by its ruling elite.

Many activists have responded to the latest campaign, saying whether Syrian students have proper residency permits or not, this should not be an excuse to stop them from accessing their basic right to an education.