The Lebanese, along with the Palestinians, had one of the highest literacy rates in the Arab world. The rate was around at nearly to 80 % in the mid-1980s, but like most other spheres of Lebanese life, communal and regional disparities existed. In general, Christians had a literacy rate twice that of Muslims. Druzes followed with a literacy rate just above that of Sunnis. Shias had the lowest literacy rate among the religious communities.

Public schools were unevenly distributed among Lebanon's districts. The Beirut area had only 12.9 % of the nation's public schools, but a large number of Lebanon's private fee-based schools concentrated in or near Greater Beirut.Lebanon has one of the most educated and technically prepared populations in the Middle East. In 2001, 95 % of Lebanese aged 15 and older were literate. Primary education in Lebanon is free and compulsory for five years; school attendance is near universal for primary school-aged children.