Lebanon’s Private School Fees to Rise Again as Crisis Persists

Father Nasr: Fee hikes needed to retain teachers and sustain quality

English version based on the Arabic-language article published by Akhbar al-Yawm

Parents in Lebanon are bracing for another hike in private school tuition for the 2025–2026 academic year, as schools continue to grapple with the financial fallout of the 2019 economic collapse. With the public education sector suffering from a sharp decline in quality, many families feel they have no choice but to stick with private institutions, despite the rising costs.

Speaking to the "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency, Father Youssef Nasr, Secretary General of Catholic Schools in Lebanon, said the collapse of the Lebanese pound has dramatically reduced the value of both tuition and teacher salaries, pushing schools to seek new financial models to retain staff.

"To help teachers continue their educational mission, schools were forced to explore gradual fee adjustments", Nasr said. "Since the 2021–2022 school year, a progressive fee scale has been in place. In some institutions, tuition has reached 65% of its pre-crisis value, while in others, it remains closer to 40%".

He stressed that each school is dealing with its own realities and is adjusting tuition based on available resources. "There is no unified rate", Nasr added. "Every school must evaluate its financial situation and determine what level of tuition increase is needed to balance teacher compensation with parents’ ability to pay".

The looming fee hikes come at a time when Lebanon’s public education system is facing serious challenges in terms of infrastructure, quality, and modernization. Many parents see no viable alternative to private schools, viewing them as a necessary investment in their children’s future, regardless of cost.

But sustaining high-quality education depends on the ability to retain qualified teachers, Nasr warned. "If we fail to ensure decent living conditions for teachers, they will leave the sector or the country altogether. That’s a direct threat to educational standards".

Addressing concerns about affordability, Nasr emphasized the need for balance: "We’re working toward a sustainable model, there’s no school without students",  he said. "And at the same time, there’s no quality education without competent teachers".

He also noted with regret the closure of some schools in more vulnerable areas, where parents can no longer afford tuition and institutions are struggling to survive.

While decisions about fee increases are still being studied on a school-by-school basis, Nasr urged all parties to remain realistic: "The crisis isn’t over. We’ve made some progress, but the economic conditions are still extremely difficult. Everyone is feeling the pressure".