With the start of vocational exams in various Lebanese provinces, including the South and Nabatiyeh, and the intermediate exams for free applicants, the Ministry of Education has confirmed the conduct of this event and indicated that the secondary school certificate exams across its four branches will take place as scheduled on the 29th of this month. Despite rumors circulating on social media about the possibility of canceling the exams due to security situations in the South, especially among students, this option has been ruled out as it would lead to the issuance of testimonials, which the Ministry is keen to avoid for reasons related to the value of the certificate and the educational standard, especially for students seeking admission to specific university programs according to "An-Nahar."
The vocational exams served as an indicator of the possibility of conducting the event in the South and Nabatiyeh, regardless of the security conditions and the daily Israeli attacks experienced by candidates in border villages, including sonic booms from aircraft. However, this did not affect the professional exams, which saw participation from over 16,000 students, with a center in the Bent Jbeil district not far from the border conducting exams without issues. Conversely, there was a significant absenteeism in the intermediate free applicants' exams, which is common and occurs every year.
The major event on the 29th is the official secondary certificate examinations, and efforts are concentrated on ensuring its success. Thus, the Ministry of Education has designated safe centers in the southern and Nabatiyeh governorates, taking into account the conditions of candidates from border secondary schools, numbering around 800, who will be distributed among centers in the districts of Tyre, Bent Jbeil, Nabatiyeh, and Hasbaya. Moreover, the General Directorate of Education has allowed students from the South and Nabatiyeh to attend any center in Lebanon in cases of security-related emergencies. This circular, which forms a loophole in the preparations for the exams, could lead to chaos in specific instances, has been clarified by ministry sources as exceptional and relates to students from border areas, similar to the vocational exams, and does not imply the closure of designated centers in the South and Nabatiyeh as stated in the students' nomination documents.
There is no doubt that ongoing campaigns to cancel the secondary exams have caused confusion within the Ministry, especially amid the security developments along the borders. This confusion arose after the debate that accompanied the initial program omitting elective subjects, which was then replaced by a unified exam program for all Lebanese students featuring specific elective subjects different from last year. After overcoming the confusion resulting from the campaigns and demands for cancellation, today’s focus is on closing loopholes that could lead to chaos or manipulation concerning grading and result issuance, as well as distributing the exams to correction centers. It is important to highlight that the secondary exams will proceed unless major security developments occur concerning the country, which is not solely dependent on the Ministry of Education.
However, in this atmosphere, the necessity of the exams remains a priority, with cancellation being unlikely, which means that no testimonials will be issued should security developments lead to cancellation, significantly affecting the certificate after years of crises that have negatively impacted education. The secondary exams will be critical under the current circumstances, with students' participation contributing to the restoration of regular education despite all challenges. Although the issuance of the exam descriptions was delayed, it was due to the exceptional conditions that accompanied the preparation for the event, along with the added facilitation and optional questions, ultimately supporting the successful completion of the exams. The Ministry must uphold this option, as it is not correct to claim that testimonials under these circumstances serve as a credible alternative to the certificate, according to "An-Nahar."
