Thousands of students in Lebanon are underserved by the concentration of educational opportunities in a small number of governorates. Policymakers must make investments in areas that lack public branches, colleges, and educational resources in order to create a more inclusive future.

 

1. A Landscape of Uneven Learning Opportunities

Lebanon’s education system has long been viewed as a regional strength but this strength is not evenly distributed. By mapping universities, Lebanese University (LU) branches, and the availability of educational resources across governorates, a clear pattern emerges: a select few governorates enjoy strong coverage, while others have limited or almost no access.

The visualization shows that:

• Baabda, Zahle, and Matn dominate in the number of universities.

• Meanwhile, areas like Bsharri, Batroun, Hermel, and Hasbaya have only 1 or zero universities.

This imbalance shapes future opportunities. Where a student is born should not determine how far they can go but right now, it often does.

2. Public Higher Education Is Even More Concentrated

Access to affordable education is even more unequal.

• Zahle and Matn lead with 5 and 4 LU branches.

• Many areas including Tyre, Akkar, Zgharta, Hasbaya, Hermel have one or no branches.

• Several governorates have none at all, forcing students to relocate or drop out.

This reinforces a cycle: private universities cluster in the center, while public universities remain scarce outside major cities.

3. The Coverage Index: How Many Citizens Each University Serves?

To measure real accessibility, the coverage index compares each region’s population to the number of universities available.

Here the gap becomes dramatic:

• In Baabda and Matn, one university serves fewer than 200,000 people.

• In Hermel, Bsharri, and Tripoli, a single university covers more than 300,000 residents.

The message is clear: some regions are overserved, while others are severely underserved.

4. Do Educational Resources Exist Where They’re Needed Most?

When we look at the distribution of educational resources—libraries, cultural centers, labs, and learning facilities another pattern emerges:

• Akkar, Baalbek, and Baabda have the highest counts.

• Remote districts like Bsharri, Hermel, Batroun, and Marjeyoun have almost none.

This highlights a critical insight:
some areas have the right infrastructure but lack universities, while others have universities but no supporting learning ecosystem.

5. What This Means for Lebanon

Lebanon’s most significant educational challenge is not quality but fairness.
The maps reveal a structural inequality that affects:

• university enrollment

• student mobility

• long-term employment opportunities

• economic development in rural areas

By investing in the regions with the lowest coverage and resource availability, Lebanon can create a more inclusive and productive society.

 

Call to Action

We recommend a targeted educational investment plan for underserved governorates, focusing on:

• Opening new LU branches in areas with zero public presence

• Strengthening educational resources where population density is high

• Supporting private institutions willing to expand beyond major districts

• Digital learning infrastructure for remote areas

Education shouldn’t depend on geography. With intentional planning, it doesn’t have to.