Interview of Mr. Fadi Yarak, General Director of Education at the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education, on the evolving role of teachers amid today’s educational transformations. Addressing themes such as innovation, digitalization, screen use, distance learning, and artificial intelligence, this conversation explores the vision of the School of the Future and how these developments can best serve students.

Name	Mr. Fadi Yarak
Position	General Directeur
Institution	Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon

Innovation, Digitalization, Screens, Distance Learning, Artificial Intelligence: Opinions on the School of the Future Often Diverge. What is Your Perspective?

The School of the Future is a concept that has emerged through various international forums. It emphasizes not technology alone, but technology placed at the service of the student, centered on well-being and performance. Today, the concept goes even further by highlighting the essential skills required in a technological world where professions constantly evolve or emerge. It is a connected world, shared across cities and the planet, where individuals must learn, unlearn, and relearn throughout their lives with critical thinking and both individual and collective creativity. Through innovative pedagogical approaches, sometimes supported by technology, the objective is to guide students toward becoming responsible citizens of tomorrow and to help build an economic future that preserves both our cities and our planet. Ultimately, it is about restoring schools as vibrant centers of knowledge and joy, firmly rooted at the heart of our communities.

We are advancing along two complementary priority axes. The first is structural and foundational: redesigning school curricula in both content and pedagogy while integrating the disruptions brought about by artificial intelligence. The second is more short-term, encouraging the integration of innovation beyond curricula whenever it clearly enhances academic excellence and students’ societal development.

Pilot initiatives are currently underway to help establish a national framework, including the implementation of a national AI strategy.

Several International Reports Highlight a Decline in the Number of Teachers and Decreasing Attractiveness of the Profession, a Major Challenge for the School of the Future. How Does this Issue Manifest in Lebanon?

The decline in the number of teachers is a concerning and critical reality in Lebanon, exacerbated by ongoing crises and salary devaluation. We have taken steps to curb this trend and continue to pursue solutions. A recent assessment of initial teacher training in Lebanon—conducted with the support of the French Embassy in Lebanon and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, CERD and several universities—has provided a comprehensive diagnosis and helped define a roadmap to restore the profession’s value.

The School of the Future can only exist through teachers, who are not in competition with ChatGPT or other AI tools. Instead, they can serve as coaches and mentors for students, guardians of ethics and critical thinking, both of which risk being overshadowed in today’s screen-dominated world. Teachers are no longer mere transmitters of knowledge, a role that could easily be replaced by AI, but educators who awaken curiosity and inspire deeper understanding.

AI Dominates Public Discourse and Media Narratives, Reshaping our Practices. What Does this Mean for Schools in the Short and Medium Term?

Artificial intelligence signals a profound shift in educational practices. Our role is to support this transition through a national framework, continuous professional development, and supervised experimentation, ensuring that technology remains a pedagogical tool rather than an end, while highlighting the risks of misinformation associated with AI. On the one hand, we aim to define pedagogical and ethical principles for its use in order to integrate AI responsibly. On the other hand, we seek to establish a code of ethics governing the use of AI in our schools.

The Ed’Innov Initiative “Towards the School of the Future” Has Given Schools the Freedom to Define Their Own Vision Under the Ministry’s Patronage. The Project Covers a Wide Range of Themes Including: “Green Planet,” “Digital Generation,” and “Global Citizenship.” How do You Plan to Leverage this Pilot Project?

“Towards the School of the Future” is a strategic project that enables schools to experiment with future-oriented education under the Ministry’s patronage. It strengthens institutional autonomy while allowing schools to adapt not only to the broader concept of the School of the Future but also to the expectations of their local communities and to mobilize surrounding stakeholders. This is a key dimension of the School of the Future: institutions must engage both their immediate ecosystem and Lebanon’s wider economic and innovation landscape.

For this reason, we aim to extend this momentum by creating a cluster that brings together schools, the Ministry, users and beneficiaries (including parents, businesses, universities, and students) potential funders, and providers of innovative solutions. This initiative will allow us to build on existing experience, scale its impact, and further elevate the value of education in Lebanon.