Prime Minister Mikati and Akram Chehayeb address education issues during meeting

3^min

On Monday, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a delegation including Akram Chehayeb, a member of the "Democratic Gathering" party, accompanied by Zafer Nasser, Secretary-General of the Progressive Socialist Party, Anwar Daou, former head of the Employees' Cooperative, and Samir Najm, Education Commissioner in the Socialist Party.

Following the meeting, Chehayeb stated that the objective of the visit was to salvage the academic year, safeguard the rights of educational institutions, protect public education, and maintain official schools in Lebanon.

He emphasized the focus on disbursing the allocated LBP 5,000 billion for education, which was approved as a first installment during the last Cabinet session. The necessity is to ensure that this amount is regularly provided to schools and educators after securing the necessary incentives to conclude the upcoming academic year smoothly.

Chehayeb highlighted the determination of teachers and unions to only return to teaching or official schools if their rights are fully granted, all while preserving the dignity of educators and their ability to teach and transition to official schools.

He said it's time for everyone to recognize that education is a right for every citizen in Lebanon, and the educational investment lies in teachers. Thus, preserving teachers is a necessity and a duty, as has been reiterated consistently.

Chehayeb elaborated, "In our party, we have held several meetings with the Education Commission and initiated actions through conferences. We will meet Speaker Nabih Berri and all stakeholders in the financial situation. The issue is not in education, the Education Ministry, or the teachers. The challenge is in securing the necessary funding. Just as bread is essential for citizens, education is fundamental to saving society in Lebanon. The true investment lies in teachers, who are the cornerstone for accessing the right to education for every student and child in Lebanon."

He added, "Prime Minister Mikati expressed his strong commitment to the success of the upcoming academic year. We will continue to address this matter with the Education Minister and all stakeholders, particularly regarding the financial aspect."

Responding to a question, he stated, "There are LBP 5,000 billion, and the focus is on how to deliver them to schools and teachers, especially in terms of preserving the dignity of teachers through dollar payments."