Shadia Osman Saad is a 14-year-old student at Khalidoun School in Tajoura, Greater Tripoli. Originally from Sebha, the conflict in 2011 forced her and her parents to move to the Capital.

“I was only 6 when I started studying, and suddenly I had to leave all my classmates, whom I just met,” Shadia said. “After arriving in Tripoli, my parents and I settled in Tajoura, and I joined Khalidoun School,” she explained.

Since 2012, the number of Tajoura residents has increased by 100.000 because of the high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who settled in the city. Khalidoun School for girls is one of 76 schools located in Tajoura Municipality. Despite a capacity to accommodate 200 students, it is now hosting 347, including many displaced children. All 128 staff at Khalidoun have been affected by the overcrowding.

Determined to help their children have space to learn, parents provided financial support to build temporary classrooms. However, they had low-quality metal roofs.

“The construction of the new classrooms addressed the issue of overcrowding, but it did not improve the learning environment,” Saad explained. “We used to get distracted when it rains. The sound of the water falling on the tin roof disturbed us a lot,” she added.

Several schools under rehabilitation in Greater Tripoli

Led by national and municipal Libyan institutions and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Stabilization Facility for Libya (SFL), has rehabilitated three classrooms at Khalidoun School in Tajoura, which together have the capacity of hosting 100 students.

The Facility, which recently relaunched as SFL—Stronger for Libya, aims to enhance the capacities of local and national institutions to deliver services to citizens. It gives an effective voice to women and youth and ensures that local strategies contribute to a more stable Libya.

The SFL has rehabilitated six schools in Tajoura so far. It is also repairing 72 schools in the other 12 municipalities of Greater Tripoli. The work focusses on the most important needs, such as classrooms, electric wiring and restrooms.

Girl access to quality education

“The work of the SFL at Khalidoun School helped solve the overcrowding problem and improved the learning environment,” says Mr. Saleh Alhathmi, Director of Khalidoun School.

“Thanks to the SFL, we have also established art and language laboratories in the school,” added Mr. Alhathmi.

SFL rehabilitation work at the Khalidoun school is making possible the equal enjoyment of the right to quality education for girls in Tripoli.

Shadia is also happy to see her school in better shape. “I like the new classrooms. They are quiet and warm. Now, we are learning without being distracted or feeling cold,” she stated.

“The rehabilitation of the classrooms made our work easier. Unlike before, we are now able to teach and interact with a limited number of students in each classroom,” said Nadia Al-Rukaei, a teacher at Khalidoun School.

“On behalf of Tajoura Municipal Council, I thank the Stabilization Facility for Libya for completing the works at Khalidoun School and at the other targeted schools as per the agreed timeline and specifications,” said Mr. Mohammed Jamhour, member of Tajoura the Municipal Council and member of the education committee.