KHIAM, Lebanon, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- With backpacks slung over their shoulders and unease etched on their faces, children in Lebanon's southern border villages returned to classrooms Monday for the first time in nearly two years.
In Khiam, a town close to the Israeli border, students assembled in a newly painted schoolyard. The bright walls, freshly coated in cheerful colors, could not mask the scars left by previous bombardments. For many, it was their first reunion with classmates since Israeli military operations scattered families across the region.
"I was so excited to see my friends again," said Ahmed Mansour, 16. "But it's hard to focus when you're always worried about what might happen."
The return to school comes nearly 10 months after a U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel last November. The agreement largely halted clashes that erupted during the Gaza war, but sporadic Israeli strikes continue. Troops remain stationed at border posts, despite a February deadline for withdrawal. This uncertainty shadows every classroom.
Some students admitted reluctance about coming back. "I love school, but the memory of bombardment makes it difficult to concentrate," said Suzanne Nasrallah, a student in Khiam.
Parents share the same ambivalence.
"We're happy to see our children back in classrooms," said Jamil Sweidan, a father of two. "But every flare-up on the border brings back the fear."
Faten Haidar, mother of a first-grader, said the choice was not easy. "We want our children to learn," she said, "but safety comes first. Anxiety affects their education."
Psychologists warn the psychological strain runs deep.
"Living in unstable border areas puts children under permanent psychological pressure," said Samia Issa, a clinical specialist. She said schools must become "safe spaces where children can express their feelings and rebuild trust." Training teachers and helping parents cope, she added, are crucial.
The physical challenges are equally daunting. A World Bank report in December estimated 215 million U.S. dollars in damage to Lebanon's education sector from Israeli military operations, documenting 59 schools destroyed and 299 damaged.
"Many schools here were destroyed or badly damaged, and only some were repaired in time," said Bushra Chit, a teacher in the border village of Kafr Kila. "Most families are still displaced. Only about 20 percent have returned. Schools lack desks, chairs, even stationery."
Despite the destruction, the education ministry has vowed that "no student will remain outside school," prioritizing in-person classes after two years of remote learning. Students from destroyed schools are being relocated to functioning facilities, while repaired schools reopen where possible.
Across the south, communities are finding creative solutions. In Mays al-Jabal, donor-funded prefabricated classrooms now host students after local schools were deemed unfit. In Aita al-Shaab, lessons have been moved to Tyre until reconstruction is complete. In Kfarchouba, two repaired schools reopened with 250 students.
Enrollment remains sparse in some areas. Marwahin's high school currently has only 45 students.
Local leaders are stepping in to fill gaps. The mayor of Mays al-Jabal launched an initiative to cover school fees, while municipalities across the region have provided buses and supplies to keep education alive.
For now, the children of Lebanon's south carry more than books into their classrooms. Each lesson unfolds in the shadow of potential conflict; their pursuit of education is both a quiet act of resistance and a fragile attempt to rebuild ordinary life from the ruins. ■
