“Ya Tokho ya Kserlo Mokho”. There’s no middle ground apparently when it comes to education ministers in Lebanon.
Back in 2014, Education Minister Bou Saab handed all students passing statements. This year, Education Minister Akram Chehayeb has denied hundreds of students their requisite examination cards because their schools are not licensed.
As a result, students and parents protested today in front of the Education Ministry but the minister seems keen on his decision and will allow students to pass the exams in the second round.
We all agree that there shouldn’t be any unlicensed schools around but why drag this matter until now? If he’s claiming the number of problematic schools is only seven, why didn’t he sort this matter months ago? And even if the ministry asked them to submit papers and they didn’t comply, why should the students pay the price?
Give the schools an ultimatum 6 months before the exams, shut them down if they don’t comply and transfer the students elsewhere. Seven schools shouldn’t be that hard to manage and this is definitely a more imminent matter than setting up surveillance cameras in classrooms.
One also has to ask also how were these schools allowed to register their students before?