The Minister of Education in the caretaker government, Abbas Al-Halabi, announced that compensation for 5 liters of gasoline daily has been secured, at a maximum of four working days per week for permanent staff, and three days for contracted teachers in schools, secondary schools, institutes, and technical schools, as a maximum. Additionally, $300 will be provided for the first three months of the current academic year, which preceded the New Year’s holiday. He confirmed that the first payment of $125 will reach money transfer companies by the end of March 2023, and it will be supplemented at the end of each month until late June 2023.
Al-Halabi continued: "In continuation of the meetings held with the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon and his team, and as a result of the Cabinet's decisions, after exhausting all efforts with all relevant parties in the government, international organizations, and donor entities, we would like to inform the educational staff in public schools and secondary schools, both permanent and contracted with various titles and duties, that we have managed to secure the following: compensation for 5 liters of gasoline daily at a maximum of four working days per week for permanent staff, and three days for contractors in schools, secondary schools, institutes, and technical schools at a maximum, based on a mechanism to be issued by the Minister of Energy and Water according to the Cabinet's decision at the end of its session on 27/2/2023. $300 for the first three months of the current academic year, which preceded the New Year’s holiday, will be transferred through money transfer companies in two installments: the first of $100 on March 10, 2023, and the second of $200 on March 20, 2023. The first installment of $125 will reach money transfer companies by the end of March 2023 and will continue at the end of each month until late June 2023, benefiting from the advance approved by the Cabinet, amounting to 1,050 billion Lebanese pounds.
Regarding the monthly payment for contractors, the ministry's administration has prepared to ensure monthly payments for the hours worked by contractors and has called on directors and administrative staff to finalize the lists by the end of each month. As for the full contract for contractors, our efforts continue with the Parliament in hopes of its approval and legislation."
He added: "What we have managed to obtain for the educational staff, we consider as the minimum acceptable, which provides them with the means to attend schools and resume teaching to compensate for the students and save the academic year, especially since time is of the essence, and there is no room for delays to return schools to normalcy."
He also confirmed that, based on these provisions that meet most demands, except for the determination of a special Sayrafa dollar rate for educational staff and public sector employees, these provisions do not equate to the sacrifices they have made. Nevertheless, they will spare no effort to meet the demands related to healthcare and health by raising the benefits of the State Employees’ Cooperative and health insurance, as they consider this matter the most urgent.
He called on teachers to return to their schools and resume teaching this week according to the established curriculum, "to preserve public education, protect the public school, and save our students from losing an entire academic year, as this is a matter of a national and educational mission that requires everyone to bear their responsibilities to achieve it and conduct the official exams."
