Integrating the IB System in Public Schools

In 2023, the Hariri Foundation partnered with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to initiate a transformative project for the first-time integration of the IB Primary Years Program (PYP) in Lebanon’s public education system. 

Targeting 12 schools across Lebanon, this program aims to enhance educational quality and promote social justice by equipping students from diverse backgrounds with the skills to thrive as active, informed citizens in their local and global communities. 

To ensure the program’s success, HF and MEHE established a national steering committee and conducted a rigorous selection process to identify schools that were both geographically diverse and ready to adopt the IB PYP framework. 

In 2024, these schools achieved IB candidacy status, supported by HF’s extensive resources and consultancy services. HF further facilitated 18 IB-accredited workshops, providing 416 educators and school principles with skills on leadership, inquiry-based learning, and curriculum implementation, thereby directly impacting the education of over 7,000 students. 

The program emphasizes sustainability and growth, as program partners seek to align the IB PYP framework with national education policies, secure donor support, and advance partnerships among local IB Schools.