The Secretary-General of Catholic Schools, Father Youssef Nasr, announced on Thursday evening, on behalf of the Episcopal Commission of Catholic Schools in Lebanon that “The school strike was suspended, and therefore, classes will resume as planned on Monday, January 8th.” This resumption date marks the end of the holiday break.
In an appearance on the local channel MTV, Father Nasr praised the efforts made by all parties, stating that they reached an agreement after several meetings held over the past week.
According to Nasr, private school establishments “acknowledged the right of retired teachers to a pension worthy of their services and dedication over the years.”
He emphasized that “meetings remain open to establishing an implementation mechanism, in collaboration with the teachers’ syndicate, to ensure the necessary funds, amounting to 675 billion Lebanese pounds.”
It is worth noting that the strike was declared by Catholic schools on December 21 as a protest passed in Parliament on December 15, amending certain regulations in private schools.
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Following this reaction, a subcommittee dedicated to this issue was formed on the initiative of the Maronite patriarch, Bechara Rai. Chaired by the caretaker Minister of Education, Abbas Halabi, this committee, comprising representatives from private schools, parents, the teachers’ union, the Compensation Fund, and parliamentarians, held several meetings to find a solution to this problem.
