Caretaker Education Minister Abbas Halabi meets with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in the Grand Serail on Oct. 21. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Caretaker Education Minister Abbas Halabi said Monday that his ministry has "no intention" of evacuating displaced people sheltering in public schools in regions hit by Israeli strikes. He called for "alternatives" to ensure a proper start to the school year in the public sector on Nov. 4.
More than 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon over the past month following Israel's escalation of its war against the country, and many of the displaced are sheltering in schools.
During a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Halabi updated the PM on the Ministry of Education’s plan to address the displacement crisis and ensure the academic year proceeds, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
He said the plan includes opening some schools that are not housing displaced people to students in two shifts and utilizing some private schools with a special shift to accommodate students. The plan also considers the possibility of distance learning.
Halabi confirmed that the academic year will begin on Nov. 4 for public schools, vocational schools and high schools, while the Lebanese University will start teaching in five faculties on Oct. 28.
"Despite these difficult circumstances, we must not miss the opportunity for public and university education and must strive with all our efforts to save this academic year and minimize the loss," Halabi said.
"It is not our intention at all, contrary to what is circulating, that the Ministry of Education will evacuate displaced people from public schools. Evacuating schools used as shelters is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Education. Instead, the ministry has called for the provision of many alternatives to public schools, as we may need a few of them in some areas where schools are accommodating displaced people, to secure the educational process."
Finally, Halabi emphasized that the ministry's role is to "provide education," while displacement and other related issues fall under the purview of the National Emergency Authority, which is responsible for these matters.
According to NNA, the meeting between Halabi and Mikati also addressed the broader educational situation and the fate of 500,000 students who were displaced.