SKILD reaches new milestone as it receives accreditation from NEASC
SKILD reaches new milestone as it receives accreditation from NEASC
Since its founding in 2011, Thimar’s SKILD Center has pioneered efforts in Lebanon to empower individuals with special needs and learning difficulties and foster a more inclusive society for them and their families. That vision has led to the development of a wide range of programs, courses, and initiatives that have played an important role in making schools, workplaces, and everyday life more accessible for a segment of society that has long faced marginalization and unequal opportunities. As testament to the high-quality degree of its work, SKILD was recently accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
As one of the oldest of the four regional accrediting agencies in the US, NEASC accreditation provides a globally recognized standard of excellence that attests to high-quality service and integrity. SKILD is the first special needs center outside of the US to be accredited by NEASC.
To celebrate this milestone and the culmination of 15 years of work, SKILD hosted a celebration on Tuesday evening that welcomed SKILD staff along with local partners, educators, public officials, and celebrities.
“Accreditation is not just a certificate for publicity,” Michel Hayek, the vice president for academic affairs at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU), said during the celebration gathering. “Rather, it is a testament to a deeply rooted culture of continuous improvement and transparency, and a commitment to providing world-class services.”
Over the past 15 years, SKILD has worked to build a comprehensive continuum of care system that supports individuals with special needs and learning difficulties from childhood to adulthood. For children, this includes psycho-educational assessments, therapy services, and applied behavior analysis. The support continues in schools, including the SMART Program at Thimar’s Beirut Baptist School (BBS) and in 117 public schools that participated in the SKILD-piloted Inclusive Education Program. At the university and workplace level, SKILD is also actively engaged through its IDEAL program at NDU.
SKILD’s work extends beyond its center and classrooms. It has tirelessly advocated for a more inclusive society, most notably by launching the National Day for Students with Learning Difficulties and hosting the annual Night to Shine prom event for individuals with special needs in Lebanon.
Supporting families is another integral part of SKILD’s mission. Recognizing the unique challenges facing family members of children with special needs, SKILD launched the Parent2Parent support group. This community provides emotional support, practical advice, and encouragement to dozens of mothers.
SKILD’s services also extend to caregivers and educators. As part of its national and regional vision, and through courses like its Guided and Skilled program, SKILD has trained hundreds of teachers and church leaders from Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq on how to create more inclusive environments in their classrooms and churches.
“A dream grew with us — a dream to bring the culture of inclusion to everyone with special needs in Lebanon,” said SKILD Center Director Hiba Al Jamal on Tuesday.
NEASC team members conducted a two-day visit in February, meeting with staff to see and evaluate firsthand the work SKILD is doing at its center and in schools. In its final report, NEASC team members Diane Ullman and Salia Hoteit hailed SKILD for being a “mission driven organization with passionate staff” that is slated to continue having an outsized impact in Lebanon and the wider Middle East.
“SKILD is a model program for its deeply held mission, and for the way that it is changing Lebanon’s view of the education that students with learning differences deserve,” the report stated. “It was evident throughout the visit that SKILD changes the lives of learners and families for the better.”
Speaking on Tuesday, Thimar CEO and SKILD Founder Nabil Costa reflected on the work and achievements of SKILD over the past 15 years as he outlined his vision moving forward to continue building an even more inclusive society in Lebanon for individuals with special needs.
“This is the first program that NEASC has offered accreditation to outside the US,” he told the crowd, which included SKILD staff. “We now have a great responsibility. And I can see how each of you were able to transform this society into one with a culture of inclusion that people now believe in.”
Through its partnership with schools, SKILD works in close collaboration with Lebanon’s education ministry. Among those present at the celebration on Tuesday was former Minister of Education Elias Bou Saab. Now serving as the Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Saab congratulated SKILD on its achievement as he noted its national impact.
“This is a source of pride for all of Lebanon,” he said. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the hard work you’ve put in.”
