
Only in a few public schools did in-person classes resume Monday. (Credit: Hassan Assal)
BEIRUT — Just “10 percent of public schools and 70 percent of private schools across Lebanon opened their doors” on Monday, an Education Ministry spokesperson told L’Orient Today. All schools had been expected to return to in-person classes Monday following an announcement last week from the education and health ministers that there would be no COVID-19 related closure but that strict measures to limit the virus’ spread would be put in place.
Here’s what we know:
• The ministry spokesperson added that 84 percent of public schools in South Lebanon had remained closed Monday.
• Some schools in Bsharri and in Zahle, along with others in various areas of the Bekaa, announced they would postpone the return to in-person classes for another week, while the General Secretariat of Catholic Schools in Lebanon left the reopening date to each school’s discretion, according to media reports.
• It remains unknown whether the schools that stayed closed have started online teaching.
• Last week Education Minister Abbas Halabi and Health Minister Firass Abiad held a joint press conference to announce the return to in-person classes at schools and educational institutions as of Jan. 10 with strict measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Over the weekend, the Education Ministry made a push to get more students and teachers vaccinated. At the beginning of December, the government’s health committee, led by Abiad, decided to extend the winter vacation for students from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 in order to give schools more time to vaccinate students against the coronavirus. Originally the vacation was scheduled for Dec. 22 to Jan. 7.