Religious diversity and the future of education in Lebanon

Abstract

A key element of Lebanon's constitution and national identity is religious diversity. This article sets out to examine the state of such diversity and the relationship between that and education. Education has always had a high priority in Lebanon, yet the education system itself has lent itself to sectarian biases and rivalry. In order to understand the dynamics of educational development in Lebanon, therefore, it is important to consider the forces that constitute the Lebanese mosaic, and to be aware of its confessional political system. The implications of seventeen years of intermittent violence on sectarianism and education will be analysed with an investigation of what may lie ahead for education in Lebanon.