The Syrian National Party rejected the decision made by the Minister of Education and Higher Education to reduce the agreed-upon hours of remote teaching for contracted teachers, as established in their official contracts, and to disregard previously taught classes.
The party stated that this decision comes amid painful and difficult economic conditions in Lebanon and expressed regret for the "reward" received by retired teachers, who make up the majority of teachers in Lebanon. The party called on the Minister of Education to reverse his decision and urged him to take a clear stance that guarantees compensation for the hours removed from the current academic year for contracted teachers, ensuring a dignified life for educators.
Additionally, the party expressed solidarity with the teachers, announcing its support for any decision that guarantees their rights and the solidarity between teachers in both public and private sectors.
Regarding the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon, President Michel Aoun approved an exceptional full lockdown starting Thursday, January 7, until Monday, February 1, as part of efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the country, based on a proposal from the Prime Minister and the ministerial committee tasked with monitoring the pandemic. Health Minister Hamad Hassan stated that it has become clear that the pandemic challenge has reached a level that poses a danger to the lives of Lebanese citizens due to hospitals' inability to provide enough beds.
Doctors, military personnel, and journalists will be exempt from the decision, as well as the international airport and the borders with Syria. Minister of Interior Mohammed Fahmy clarified, following a meeting of the COVID-19 ministerial committee, that responsibility rests more with citizens than with the state and urged Lebanese people to assist security forces in implementing the decisions.
Fahmy revealed that the decision regarding the odd and even numbers of vehicles will be enforced and called on every citizen to comply with the instructions and assist security forces in implementing these measures to confront the pandemic's spread. He added that the number of arrivals via Beirut Airport would be reduced, and legal measures would be pursued against violators of the lockdown decisions, not just material measures.
The Committee for Public Health, Labor, and Social Affairs in Lebanon proposed a three-week lockdown to mitigate the situation, regardless of the method, to curb the rise in infections while allowing for the restructuring and recovery of the health sector, particularly hospitals, which are struggling to cope with the burden from their medical teams and the reception of patients.
The health committee indicated that this proposal arose due to the spike in COVID-19 cases reaching unprecedented numbers and the catastrophe unfolding in most hospitals in the capital and other governorates, with occupancy rates exceeding 95% and continuing to rise.
After a virtual meeting among committee members, they emphasized that, while aware of the economic repercussions of a lockdown amidst rampant unemployment, the drastic measures are justified in light of the alarming rise in infection rates and high occupancy in all hospitals.
They called on the relevant authorities to enforce stricter lockdown measures, considering that leniency leads to devastating results regarding the increase in infections or that severity should apply to needy sectors while overlooking those who can disregard the rules.
The committee highlighted the need to consider families affected by the lockdown since closing down each time puts large segments of the Lebanese people in dire situations, cutting off income sources with no financial or material assistance provided for these groups during home confinement.
Health Minister in the caretaker government, Dr. Hamad Hassan, expected that the positivity rate in tests would increase in the coming weeks. Speaking to the Lebanese Al-Manar channel, he stated that there is no justification for any citizen to disregard preventive measures against COVID-19 under any pretext.
Hassan mentioned that a primary challenge currently is the availability of only 60 beds designated for COVID-19 in equipped hospitals. Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab remarked at the start of the ministerial committee meeting that, unfortunately, the situation has changed; initially, there was harmony between state actions and citizen compliance, but now the situation is entirely different, as all possible measures have been implemented at the state level without positive adherence from the people.
Diab indicated that confronting COVID-19 cannot rely solely on theoretical measures and street interventions; while lockdowns and curfews can be imposed, it is unfeasible to monitor every individual.
He noted that intensive care beds are almost fully occupied, placing the country in a very difficult situation that necessitates exceptional and strict enforcement of measures. Diab stressed that addressing the pandemic requires communal awareness that actively engages with the measures and procedures. He also pointed out that merely closing down is insufficient, as there must be swift measures to contain the current situation alongside the lockdown.
