In a unanimous decision, the Constitutional Council accepted President Joseph Aoun's appeal against the law on the organization of teaching staff in private schools and the management of their budgets. Per the constitutional provisions, the law has now been declared inapplicable.
The appeal, lodged by the presidency shortly after the law's adoption by Parliament, denounced violations of fundamental principles, notably concerning the separation of powers and respect for the rights of teachers in the private sector. The Constitutional Council's decision thus marks a halt to the application of this law, deemed contrary to the Constitution.
This invalidation reopens the debate on the regulation of the private education sector in Lebanon, in a context of economic crisis where schools, teachers and parents are struggling to cope with deteriorating learning conditions. In particular, the status of private teachers remains a sensitive issue, torn between the budgetary requirements of schools and the social rights of teachers.
Parliament will now have to rethink its position if it wishes to push ahead with new legislation on this sensitive issue.
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