Challenges facing public sector teachers in upcoming municipal elections

Mahdi Karaki is one of 28,000 public sector teachers the Interior Ministry and Municipalities need as heads of polling stations and clerks in 14,000 ballot boxes for the upcoming municipal and Mukhtar's elections.

However, no polling station can be opened without teachers, and the electoral process can only be conducted as scheduled in May.

The teachers’ union have not been discussed, nor has a final decision been made regarding participation in managing these elections and on what basis. However, for most of the educational sector, there will undoubtedly be no participation without promises of minimal allowances and a clear deadline.

The proposed applications offer a financial reward of $125 for the head of the station and the clerk, which is better than what was previously provided in the parliamentary elections.

Nevertheless, what guarantees the payment of these allowances in time and before losing their value due to exchange rate instability and ongoing financial collapse, as previously happened in the parliamentary elections?

The head of the station was paid LBP 3.6 million, and the clerk was paid LBP 3.4 million six months after losing its value due to an exchange rate hike.

Regardless of the teachers' stances, it is early to discuss elections as long as the decision to hold it has not been clearly defined and as long as the required funds to make them possible are unavailable. In contrast, the decision has not been made regarding where they will be allocated or secured.