Hundreds of students have been banned to sit for the official exams after their schools failed to duly register at the Ministry of Education within the approved deadlines due to lack of legal licenses.
The case of "fake schools" comes to add to a series of scandals that have shaken the educational sector in Lebanon in recent years. Last year, the country witnessed cases of counterfeited diplomas given by some private universities, which were described as “university shops.”
Education Minister Akram Chehayeb seemed to be determined to address the emerging issue. He said that the concerned schools did not have any data in the ministry, nor did they respond to the ministry’s calls to secure the necessary papers and licenses.
Students’ protests began on Tuesday evening in front of the Ministry of Education, on the eve of the intermediate certificate exams, and continued on Wednesday.
The students, who were prevented from taking the exams, participated in the protest along with their parents and the director of the School of Education Union, Hanan Kerbaj, who told the National News Agency (NNA) that she tried to burn herself in front of the ministry, after the refusal to give her students exam cards.
Kerbaj poured fuel on her clothes and face to try to set her body on fire, but parents and pupils hurried to prevent her before being transferred to the hospital for minor burns in her face.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Former Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh said that both the ministry and the concerned schools were responsible for the current crisis. He pointed out that the ministry had an inspection apparatus to check the status of private schools, adding that the apparatus also bears some responsibility for such mismanagement.
