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Brighter light and higher hopes: Solar energy systems keep technical schools running in Lebanon
The ILO provided a number of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools with solar systems in Lebanon to keep their doors open and trained their students on solar panel installation and maintenance to build their skills and help them find job opportunities amid the country’s multifaceted crisis.
Tripoli, LEBANON – A chronic shortage of state-supplied energy, and the restrictively high costs of privately-sourced electricity generators has seen the demand for solar power in the country soaring in recent years for both domestic and commercial use.
Such an energy switch is particularly needed across local schools and, especially technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutes, where electricity is key to conducting practical classes and training for thousands of students.
“I need electricity for the computer and the mechanical labs,” says Hassan Hlehel, Director and trainer at the Abou Samra IPNET School in northern Lebanon. “I have a total of 860 Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian students, 60 per cent of whom are young women. Using solar energy is now the only way to activate the basic services needed to run the school.”
