Lebanon - Education system
INSTITUTION
TYPES & CREDENTIALS
Types of higher education
institutions:
University Institute
School leaving Certificates:
Baccalauréat libanais (modified to Lebanese
General Secondary Certificate)
Technical Baccalaureat, Baccalaureat Technique
Higher
education credentials:
Diplôme de
Technician Superieure
Diplôme universitaire de Technologie (DUT)
Diplôme d'études universitaires générales (DEUG)
Licence Bachelor's Degree
Diplôme d'Ingénieur
Diplôme d'Université
Teaching Diploma
Diplôme d'Etudes supérieures (DES)
Diplôme d'Etudes supérieures spécialisées (DESS)
Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies (DEA)
Magistère, Master's Degree
Diplôme de Spécialité
Dipôme d'Etudes spécialisées
Maîtrise
Medical Doctorat (MD)
Diplome de Doctorat, Doctorate (PhD)
STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory
education:
Age of entry: 6
Age of exit: 11
Structure of school system:
Elementary Education:
Type of school providing this
education:
Primary School (3
cycles of 3 years each)
Length of program in years:
9
Age level from: 6
to: 15
Age Level for Cycle 1: 6 to 9
Age Level for Cycle 2: 9 to 12
Age Level for Cycle 3: 12 to 15
Certificate/diploma awarded:
- In General
Education: Brevet,
- In Technical Education: Brevet Professionnel (BP)
Secondary Education:
We have two parallel systems
(General Education & Technical Education)
1- Type of school providing General
education: Secondary School
Length of program in years:
3
Age level from: 15
to: 18
Certificate/diploma
awarded: Baccalauréat Libanais modified
as Lebanese General Secondary Certificate
2- Type of school providing Technical education:
Technical Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 15
to: 18
Certificate/diploma
awarded: Baccalauréat Technique
School education:
Secondary education lasts for three years and
is divided into General Education (Humanities, Economie, Life Sciences, Sciences)
or Technical education (about 55 specialities) following six years of primary
and three years of intermediate education. Selection of the track is decided by
school principals on the basis of students' aptitude as shown by the Brevet
examination results. Upon completion of the three-year cycle, students sit for
the official Lebanese Baccalaureate exams in their respective tracks (four in
all). Successful students receive the Lebanese Baccalaureate Certificate of
Secondary Education (Shahaadat Al-Bakaalouriya al Lubnaaniya l'il-ta 'liim
al-Thaanawi – Al-Thanawiyah Al-Aamah Al-lubnaniah) or the Technical
Baccalaureate (Al-Bakaalouriya al-Fanniya).
Higher education:
Higher education in Lebanon is provided by Technical and Vocational
Institutes, University
Colleges, university
Institutes and Universities. Only of them is Public Institution: the Lebanese University. Both the private and public
sector are administrated by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education,
Technical and Vocational Institutes depend of the Directorate General of
Technical & Vocational Education. University colleges, university
institutes and universities depend of the Directorate General of Higher
Education. Admission to higher education Institutions is based on the
Baccalauréat libanais.
Academic year:
Classes from: Oct
to: Jun (annual system)
Fall, Spring and Summer semesters in credit
system Long vacation from: 1 Jul to:
30 august
Languages of instruction: Arabic, English, French
Stages of studies:
University level studies:
University level first stage:
Some Institutions offer short courses (two to three years) leading to
professional qualifications.
Where longer studies are involved, the first
stage leads, after three to five years study, to the Licence, Bachelor's Degree
or Diploma, depending on the Institution attended.
University level second
stage:
The second stage involves more
specialized work and leads, after one or two years' study beyond the first
Degree, to the Maîtrise in Scientific subjects, the Master's Degree at
the American University, the Magistère, the Diplôme d'Etudes
supérieures, and the Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies.
In Medicine, the Midical Doctorat (MD) is
awarded after seven years' study. It is a professional qualification. Other
Health specialties are organized within the Lebanese Laws as Next:
-
Dentistry: Minimum 5 years
-
Physiotherapy: Minimum 4 years
-
Pharmacy: Minimum 5 years
To be Engineer, the study in Lebanon is of 5
years to obtain Diplome d’Ingenieur or Master of Engineering.
University level third
stage:
The third stage involves the writing of a
thesis and leads to the award of a Doctorate. In French-speaking universities,
a Doctorate is awarded after three years of study beyond the Diplôme
d'Etudes approfondies which is equivalent to a PhD is awarded in the American
system.
Teacher education: Training of
pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Primary teachers are trained at the faculties
of Education in public & private universities. The Baccalauréat is
required for admission. After three years' study, students are awarded .
Bachelor Degree in elementary & primary education
Training of secondary school
teachers
The Faculty of Education of the Lebanese
University offers five-year courses leading to the Certificat d'Aptitude
pédagogique de l'Enseignement secondaire. Teaching Diploma (TD) in
special matters (literature, physiques, mathmatiques, etc.) is awarded by
colleges and universities in Lebanon
Training of higher education
teachers
. Special summer schools and workshops are organized
by public and private universities for the training of higher education
teachers. In Technical & Vocational Education, there is specialized center
for the training of teachers In General Education, the National Center
for Pedagogic development has the role of long life training of teachers in
collaborations with the faculties of education.
NATIONAL BODIES
Administration &
co-ordination:
Responsible authorities:
Ministère de l'Education et de
l'Enseignement supérieur (Ministry of Education and Higher Education)
Head: Khalid Kabbani, Minister
Directorate General of Higher Education
General Director: Ahmad Jammal,
Abi Shahla Round, UNESCO
Palace
Tel: +961(1)
789611 or 789908
Fax: +961(1) 789606 or 789610
EMail: info@higher-edu.gov.lb WWW: http://www.higher-edu.gov.lb
Directorate General of Education:
General Director: Fadi Yarak
Abi Shahla Round, UNESCO
Palace
Lebanon WWW: http://www.schoolnet.edu.lb
Directorate General of Technical &
Vocational Education: Youssef Dia
Dekwaneh – Beirut
National center for Pedagogic research &
Development: Leila Fayyad Dekwaneh – Beirut WWW: http://www.crdp.org
ADMISSIONS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission to non university
higher education studies
Name of secondary school
credential required: Baccalauréat libanais
Alternatives to
credentials:
Baccalauréat technique.
Admission to university-level
studies
Name of secondary school
credential required: Baccalauréat
libanais Entrance exams
required: For access to some universities
there is an Entrance examination.
Foreign students admission
Admission requirements: Foreign students are admitted to Universities under
the same conditions as Lebanese students, provided that they hold a
qualification equivalent to the Lebanese Baccalauréat. They are not
subject to any special quota system. Scholarships are granted within the
framework of bilateral agreements concluded with other countries. In certain
universities, students must sit for an entrance examination.
Entry regulations: A visa and resident permit are required.
Language requirements: Some Universities organize language tests. Foreign
students must have a good command of Arabic, English or French, depending on
the field of specialization. Language courses are organized by some
universities.
Recognition of studies &
qualifications:
Studies pursued in foreign
countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):
Equivalences
Commission of Higher Education (Commission nationale des Equivalences de
l'Enseignement supérieur)
Head: Ahmad Jammal, General Director of
Higher Education
Administrative officer: Nadime Khalife',
Secretary, Chairperson Equivalences Commission of Higher Learning
Ministry of Education & Higher Education
Chiyah - El-Aris Street
- Beirut Lebanon
Tel: +961(1) 371-069 Fax: +961(1) 373-225
References to further
information on foreign student admissions and recognition of studies
Title:
Le Guide de
l'Enseignement supérieur au Liban (Dalil al-Taalim Al Aly fi lubnan)
Publisher: Ministère de l'Education et de l'Enseignement supérieur
Year of publication: 2002
Title:
Page web de
la Direction générale d'Enseignement supérieur
http://www.higher-edu.gov.lb
STUDENT LIFE
Student expenses and financial
aid
Student costs: Home students
tuition fees: Minimum: 650 (US Dollar) Maximum: 13000 (US Dollar)
Publications on student
services and financial aid:
Title: Study Abroad 2004-2005, 32nd
Edition
Author: UNESCO P
ublisher: UNESCO Publishing
Year of publication: 2003
GRADING SYSTEM
Usual grading system in
secondary school
Full Description: 0-20 points grading scale. 18-20 excellent; 15-17 very
good; 12-14 good; 10-11 pass; 0-9 fail. Highest on scale: 20 Pass/fail level: 10 Lowest
on scale: 0
Main grading system used by
higher education institutions
Full Description: American University of Beirut and Beirut Arab
University: 90-100 A excellent; 8089 B good; 70-79 C fair; 60-69 D weak; 0-59 F
fail. Highest on scale: 100 Pass/fail
level: 60 Lowest on scale: 0
Other main grading systems
The Lebanese American
University uses the grade-point
average (1-4);
Institutions following the French system use the 1-20 scale.
NOTES ON HIGHER EDUCATION
SYSTEM
Data for academic year: 2004-2005
Source: Ministère de l'Education nationale et de
l'Enseignement supérieur, Beirut,
2003
(except for governing bodies, updated 2005)
