The Caretaker Minister of Education and Higher Education Tarek Majzoub announced recently that the new school year will be in attendance, which sparked large controversy among the students’ families and teachers as well.

Majzoub appeared again on Monday and stressed that returning to school has become an inevitable matter, and he presented the plan to return to classes.

The solutions and promises provided by Majzoub for the back to school plan, were not sufficient in the eyes of the parents’ committees in private schools. They considered that the minister does not have the ability or the capabilities to adopt this plan, although they confirmed previously the importance of physical attendance, if the hurdles were solved especially the transportation cost. They also called for support from the state and donors for the struggling teachers and parents.

Representatives of the associations of public-school teachers took their decision which is not to start the school year, before improving the teachers’ salaries. Teachers will not be able to return with their insufficient salaries, and schools principals are not able to open their secondary schools without salary adjustments, hospitalization, and a transportation allowance equivalent to the rise in fuel prices. The associations give these demands priority over educational demands and curricula.

Majzoub has reiterated all the promises he made to students, parents and teachers during the past year, but this time the situation has changed. The economy is collapsing, therefore, none of the members of the educational family will be able to start a new school year without serious and tangible implementation for these promises.