Caretaker Education Minister, Abbas Halabi, stressed on Friday the need to create the appropriate atmosphere for the opening of the next academic year.
Minister Halabi pointed to the importance of everyone's cooperation, especially the Ministry of Finance, to pay salaries and grant employees in the Ministry of Education their rights in a timely manner, refusing that any student pays the price of the strike of employees in the Ministry.
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, received Minister Halabi today at Baabda Palace.
Minister Halabi also revealed the great concern about the future of the Lebanese University if it did not receive the necessary support and money to be able to withstand and continue.
After the meeting, Minister Halabi made the following statement:
"I met with His Excellency the President of the Republic, and we addressed general affairs, especially the educational situation after the completion of the official exams.
I also informed His Excellency that the number of those who joined the official summer school amounted to about 90,000 male and female students, and that a number of public school students also joined this summer school. This is a new phenomenon.
I also presented the results of my visit to Qatar, accompanied by the President of the Lebanese University, and the contacts we had there with the Minister of Education and Director General of the Development Fund. We hope that the Government of Qatar will respond to our requests. The meeting was also an occasion to review the files of the Lebanese University and President Aoun is very concerned about her future if the LU does not receive the care, support, and provision of the necessary money to enable it to stand firm and continue, especially by addressing the issues of her professors with all their names as well as the issues of her students.
In addition, I informed the President of the need to create the appropriate atmosphere for the opening of the next academic year by securing the rights of teachers in all their names, paying the arrears due to them, reconsidering their salaries, paying the social grant and incentives, as well as transportation allowances.
I asked His Excellency, as I will ask the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to respond to these requests as soon as possible to secure the resumption of the school year".
President Aoun then met with the former head of the Constitutional Council, Dr. Issam Suleiman, and discussed with him constitutional affairs.
President Aoun also awarded the American lawyer of Lebanese origin, Edward Toufic Saadeh, the Silver Lebanese Order of Merit, in appreciation of the successes he achieved in the United States of America and the judicial positions in which he was held "as a result of his self-will, determination, and steadfastness, and the values he carried with him from his country".
While granting the medal, in the presence of Dr. Naji Hayek, President Aoun praised the "Brilliant lawyer who parallels the importance of applying the law and working with his spiritual inspiration to ensure that the right reaches the righteous with the greatest possible amount of humanity, especially since he was throughout his life revolting against the oppressors wherever they are".
"He had distinguished positions, against all kinds of occupation, especially in Lebanon," President Aoun concluded.
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