The Minister of Education and Higher Education in the caretaker government, Abbas Al-Halabi, sent a message to teachers on the occasion of Teacher's Day, stating: "This year, on Teacher's Day, we continue our struggle to face crises amidst exceptional circumstances after we managed to overcome many issues last year through solidarity and cooperation with teachers, who are the backbone of education and its heartbeat in their mission and contributions. We have made significant strides with determination and effort to restore regular educational operations and lay the groundwork for advancement despite difficult economic conditions and limited resources."
He added: "On Teacher's Day today, I find myself united with all members of the educational staff in both the public and private sectors at all levels, shouldering the national educational responsibility to prepare generations that look toward the future with hope, even in the worst conditions our beloved country, Lebanon, has faced and continues to face."
Al-Halabi continued: "The crisis period has been prolonged, and the pressures on our society and country have varied, but the most painful has been what is happening in our precious south, including the displacement of families, the closure of schools, and the movement of learners and teachers, or the resilience of many families who have no place to go, and the loss of martyrs and victims among teachers and students. Nevertheless, we have worked together, within the available resources, to provide emergency schools and strive to develop capacities for distance education."
He elaborated: "In these circumstances, we face many difficulties amidst political, economic, and security crises that have left their repercussions on the educational sector, but we succeeded, alongside teachers and school administrations, in starting a school year that is almost normal, continuing our curricula except for our bleeding wound at the southern borders, which makes Teacher's Day crowned with sacrifices and also adorned with achievements and diligent work to overcome crises. We are striving hard to complete the official examinations for the high school certificate across its four branches and to conduct the school exam for the intermediate stage."
Al-Halabi stated, "On Teacher's Day, I congratulate you and your families and wish you continued health and success in fulfilling your mission, despite the fact that what we succeeded in offering you, such as sevenfold salary increases and additional productivity allowances, does not rise to the level you deserve."
He continued, "I promise to continue striving with the government and the parliamentary council to establish a new series for ranks and salaries that make the financial situation of teachers more acceptable, to enhance their stability and preserve their dignity, within the limits of the available public finance resources. I also promise to provide productivity allowances during the summer break, as your efforts are needed to ensure the success of the summer school in compensating for learning loss and achieving official examinations."
Al-Halabi remarked, "My message is directed at teachers in both the public and private sectors. Just as we succeeded in enhancing the resilience and stability of public school teachers, both permanent and contracted, we worked to provide a minimum for private school teachers through the agreement signed between school administrations, the teachers' union, and the compensation fund, and we seek to legally frame it to stabilize and organize the conditions of the educational staff."
He added, "We are on the verge of adopting new educational curricula, and therefore the members of the educational staff are invited to train in the spirit, objectives, and teaching methods based on technological use and competency-based assessment. Regardless of the anticipated impacts of technology and artificial intelligence on education, the presence of the teacher in the classroom is indispensable to nurture the youth and serve as a role model and guide in the eyes of their students."
