Caretaker Prime Minister Nagib Mikati and his Education Minister Abbas Halabi, touring a school in Sour, South Lebanon, on the first day of the official baccalaureate exams, June 29, 2024. (Credit: the Grand Serail)
As the Lebanese Ministry of Education prepares to release the results of the baccalaureate exams, caretaker Minister Abbas Halabi made a strong appeal on Friday urging citizens not to fire weapons into the air in celebration. This request aims to "prevent joy from turning into tragedy." He reminded that celebratory gunfire is both "a violation of the law" and "a dangerous, deadly, and regressive practice."
According to a report by the Information International Research Center in Beirut, stray bullets fired during weddings, funerals, and occasional personal altercations resulted in 81 deaths and 169 injuries between 2010 and 2021. In 2023 alone, seven people were killed by stray bullets, according to L’Orient Today.
Minister Halabi emphasized that the date for releasing the results will be announced a few hours before publication, once the examination committees are prepared. A dedicated website will be created for this purpose.
The 2024 Lebanese baccalaureate exams took place from June 29 to July 5 amid ongoing daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 8, 2023. Of the 45,000 candidates nationwide, approximately 1,000 private school students and 540 public school students from conflict-affected areas were relocated to safe examination centers.