Challenge

A leading school in Lebanon had to manage a growing crisis stemming from a Government-sanctionned decision to raise salaries, forcing the school to in turn raise its tuition fees proportiontaly to accomodate such a decision, a move that was opposed by some vocal parents who resorted to the media and the courts and risked jeopardizing the stellar equity of the institution.

S2C Approach

S2C developed a multi-faceted crisis communication strategy and helped build the internal communication capabilities of the school, in a way to achieve the following objectives:

• Safeguard and protect the image and reputation of the school
• Counter the spreading of rumours and misinformation, and which was aggravating the situation and creating further tensions
• Reinforce and reaffirm the institution's commitement to its students, teachers, and the wider school community
• Clarify the position and views of the school's management and board in regards to the issue at hand and the developing situation
• Maintain internal unity and cohesion and shield the school from the ramifications of the mediatization of the story

Outcome

The crisis communication strategy helped the school dissipate much of the misinformation that risked derailing the case and drawing the institution into a protracted situation harmful to all, resulting in the school largely succeeding in maintaining its integrity and unity.