The committee stated that Lebanese officials, along with Education Minister Elias Bou Saab should bear the responsibility of granting students certificates.
Earlier, the parliament’s education committee stated that it will not change its decision on granting certificates to students who had undertaken state official exams. Following a meeting attended by Education Minister Elias Bou Saab, the committee called on all sections of the Lebanese University to prepare and hold entrance exams for all students. This comes after Bou Saab said his decision to issue certificates has entered into force, noting that he will not backtrack on it. For his part, Nehmeh Mahfoud, a member of the Union Coordination Committee, told LBCI that the meetings held by the UCC are democratic, and praised the different standpoints in this regard. Mahfoud also said he was surprised by the statements of Bou Saab who said it was too late to correct the official exams. "What matters is Lebanon's reputation in the educational field as well as the official exams," he added. On Saturday (August 16) Education Minister Elias Bou Saab decided to grant certificates to all students who sat for the official exams after the Union Coordination Committee refused to correct the exams since parliament did not pass the series of ranks and salaries. Bou Saab accused the UCC of inflexibility; however, stressed that he will continue to support the committee’s righteous demands regarding the new wage hike. The UCC, a coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees, has been on a continuous sit-in calling on the authorities to pass the pay scale, which stipulates a wage hike. The decision to revive movements came as a result of the failure of the Joint Parliamentary Committees to resolve the dispute on the Value Added Tax in a proposal aimed at securing the funds for the salary scale that was approved by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati's cabinet. Former PM Mikati's cabinet endorsed the new salary scale for public employees in 2012, ending a long dispute that had triggered several sit-ins and strikes held by the UCC.
Former President Michel Sleiman signed the decree mid-June 2013 and it was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committees for further examination, however the law was never passed to parliament. To watch Foutoun Raad's report, please click on the VIDEO above