On Thursday, the caretaker government, meeting for the second consecutive day to discuss the difficulties that public schools could face in the upcoming academic year, approved an advance of 5 thousand billion Lebanese pounds as a first payment of $150 million, needed to ensure the start of the school year.
After the end of the Cabinet session, caretaker Minister of Education and Higher Education Abbas Halabi stated that “In order for teachers to be able to return to school, and do so safely, we’ve requested, in addition to salaries, other incentives to be paid to teachers in US dollars. The cost this year is $150 million. We’ve determined this figure by studying what is needed to cover incentives, healthcare, school funds and professional funds.”
Halabi indicated that the Cabinet approved an advance of 5 thousand billion Lebanese pounds as a first installment, amounting to $150 million to ensure the start of the school year.
As for the subject of full-time contract professors at the Lebanese University, the Council of Ministers authorized the Minister of Education, in cooperation with the university administration, to draw up decrees for this matter.
Ahead of the meeting, caretaker Minister of Education Abbas Halabi declared that the clause related to the securing of funds for public schools is a top priority. He added that they needed about $150 million and assured that these funds will be secured.
Several other national challenges were also addressed during the Cabinet session. Caretaker Minister of Information Ziad Makari disclosed that the government approved the recruitment and appointment of student officers to the security services.
Additionally, it approved a memorandum related to the agreements signed between the Lebanese government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which pertain to the handing over of personal data of displaced Syrians in Lebanon to Lebanese authorities.
In response to a question about the electricity crisis, Makari said that “The issue is being resolved by an agreement to pay a monthly amount of seven million dollars to Primesouth (the company which operates the only thermal power plants connected to the national grid), in cooperation with the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance.”
Minister of Public Works and Transportation Ali Hamieh highlighted the need for funds for rainwater and snow drainage, road openings, road maintenance, bridge joints and many other matters. “We have received assurances that there will be an agenda item in next week’s Cabinet meeting to discuss how to allocate funds from the state treasury to road maintenance and rainwater drainage,” Hamieh said. “We have also reached some solutions with operators and contractors regarding contracts for rainwater drainage,” he added.
