Q&A with Nemer Frayha, Ph.D

Nemer Frayha, is a professor at the Lebanese University and an educational expert in the area of citizenship and curriculum. He has a Ph.D. in education and M.A in political science from Stanford University. He works as a consultant in the new department of citizenship at the Ministry of Education. Frayha is also engaged in developing new curricula based on modern standards. In addition to his publications, he is currently finalizing a book in Arabic named: "Curriculum and Standards: A New Approach in Developing Modern Curricula". Frayha was also the former head of the Education Center for Research and Development.

This interview emphasizes the problems the Lebanese educational curriculum suffers from and its possible solutions.


1- Do you think that curriculum can be now modified to keep up with the rapid development that we are witnessing these days?

This is up to the educational center. They have announced through various media outlets that they are planning the start of a new curriculum. The question raised here is how will the new curriculum be different. Will they refer to the old traditional curriculum? These matters are still unknown and vague.


2- Who should be held accountable for the low educational level in Lebanon and the chaos that prevails as a result of this low education in Lebanese schools in general, and in public ones in particular?

Politicians and political parties are responsible for the current situation in our schools. They use public schools as a means to exchange services and favors by hiring their partisans. These teachers, who are supported by a certain politician or party, rely on them. Thus, they do their minimum duties as teachers since they are often not prepared to teach. As a result of their weak performance, their educational outputs will also be weak.


3- What are the main events that happened throughout history that have led to this decline in the educational system?

The consequences of the civil war that occurred in 1975. Until now many aspects of this war still remain alive in Lebanese people’s memories. However, there are those who exploit and benefit from its negative consequences. Now, every previous war and militia leader considers education under his control. The war destroyed the educational level and created new non-academic standards. Teachers should devote themselves to educate others, but they are profiting from it. Instead of viewing schools as a way to prepare the new generation, society looks down on official schools and gives importance to private schools which cost more. All of these factors ruined the official schools’ reputation and decreased their importance. The statements that were given to students by the Ministry of Education rather than conducting official exams also contribute to the poor standards.


4- Do you expect any improvements in the public schools’ education in hopes of gaining the trust of students’ parents anytime soon?
I don’t expect any of that. However, the number of students will gradually increase due to the economic situation and not for the level of teaching that keeps on declining. Parents will not be able to pay the private schools' tuition next year, and so the alternative is to enroll their kids in public schools.


5- What methods can be adopted to develop public schools?

Public schools need to be reformed from the top of the pyramid to the base. The reform process has not started and will not start in the foreseeable future because the views of those in charge haven’t changed. To achieve this purpose, teachers and education staff should be trained in a completely different way and equipped with technological items that are used in most school subjects. They need to reconsider the laws that sponsor their establishment and management, and distribute their study programs, and the teaching hours that the teacher has to teach.