The Association of Basic Education Teachers, representing primary and secondary educators in Lebanon's public schools, has called for suspending summer classes this year in protest of proposed payment levels, as stated in a release from our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.

These classes typically occur in summer camps or summer schools and primarily serve as remedial sessions for students requiring extra support.

The association communicated this demand in a statement directed to school directors and its fellow educators, urging solidarity.

According to protesting teachers, organizations funding these programs "have decided on an hourly wage of only $2, plus a daily transport allowance of $7," resulting in $17 per day if teaching five full classes. They estimate actual earnings to range between $11 and $13 due to program allocations limiting income potential. They advocate for a minimum acceptable wage of $5 to $7, plus transport, a proposal submitted to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which funds education support programs in Lebanon.

Teachers are advancing their grievances amid security challenges exacerbated by the fallout from the Gaza conflict in southern Lebanon and a longstanding socio-economic crisis.