Unlimiting Opportunities and Capacities Within a Diverse Community – The Case of Makassed El Marj School

Project Context 

Located in West Bekaa, Makassed El Marj School welcomes around 300, and 25 competent teachers and administrators. The school firmly believes that achieving success requires a combination of exceptional teaching practices, diligent administration, collaborative families, and responsible students. Following the community visioning process, and with nafda’s support, the school has recognized the critical importance of establishing a special needs center in this area given the limited opportunities and access to effective resources and professionals. In the process they acknowledged their capacity and readiness to act proactively on this need stemming from their unwavering commitment to inclusivity and acknowledgment of the unique challenges faced by students with special needs. Additionally, the school also sought to address the issue of learning loss resulting from the country’s instability, particularly during the pandemic and economic collapse, where instances of low academic achievement were inaccurately attributed to learning difficulties.

Project Description

The school is embarking on its inaugural venture, the Makassed Learning Abilities Center (MLAC) – Makassed El Marj branch. This center endeavors to provide therapy and special education services not only for students within Makassed schools but also for the wider community. It aspires to be the first specialized center in the area offering comprehensive services such as speech and language therapy, psychomotor therapy, special education, screening, as well as speech and psychomotor assessment.

In preparation for the 100-day challenge to achieve the aforementioned goals, the school team is committed to increasing the overall academic performance of students in cycle one (grades 1 to 3) by an impressive 60%, as measured by pre and post intervention assessments.

Furthermore, in prioritizing the well-being of students, the center has conducted awareness sessions and workshops for both students and parents to reduce behavior referrals by a significant 75%, as evaluated through pre and post surveys completed by parents.

Following several months of construction, a facility has been established and furnished with essential infrastructure, equipment, rooms, materials, and evaluation instruments. To ensure effective implementation, professionals from the Makkassed Learning Abilities Center provided intensive capacity building and training sessions for both teachers and parents. This holistic approach aimed to address learning difficulties within classrooms and homes while identifying and referring students with special needs to the institution’s specialists.

Individual educational plans were designed to cater to each student’s unique requirements. The school also planned to organize pullout sessions for students with learning difficulties, facilitated by various experts, to provide targeted interventions that bolster their learning experiences.

Achievements to Date

  • 75% of the teachers for 89 students in cycle one have shown improvement in their implementation of different instructional strategies.
  • There was a reported decrease of 75% in the number of behavior referrals among students.
  • After the implementation of the project, 86% of grade one students have shown an  increase in performance, grade two 82%, and grade three 89.6%.
  • 13 out of 20 students with learning difficulties, who used to fail their courses, passed after the implementation of the project and the rest are still improving. 
  • Anti-bullying interventions took place among students in order to maintain the positive environment and reinforce acceptance of differences, helping students with learning difficulties interact safely in the school environment.

The Human Heartbeat

From the students with learning difficulties, a boy in grade two was used to crying and showing anxiety symptoms while entering his campus. After the intervention took place at Makassed El Marj, he started to feel safe and worry-free. He has gained academic interest and has been achieving much better, with his average increasing by 66%.

A similar situation has happened with a girl from the same grade who used to experience panic attacks during class. Her condition and overall well-being significantly improved, resulting in a remarkable 50% increase in her academic performance.