Contracted Lebanese University professors continue their comprehensive strike in various colleges, following the failure to approve the sabbatical file in the last session of the Council of Ministers as a result of objections related to the “sectarian balance,” amid anticipation that the file will be put back on the government table immediately after the Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, returns from his participation in the work of the United Nations General Assembly.
In this context, a member of the follow-up committee for contract teachers, Dr. Muhammad Shukr, confirmed in a statement to “Lebanon Debate” that the strike has a very high commitment rate, stressing the continuation of the movement until the file is returned to the Council of Ministers and approved. He pointed out that the file is supposed to be resubmitted in the first government session held after the return of the Prime Minister.
Regarding the nature of the complex that obstructed the file, Shukr explained that the process is moving towards adding the names of Christian professors in the final stage to secure the required balance, stressing the existence of a consensus atmosphere that reflects the conviction of all parties of the necessity of approving the file. Shukr revealed that the committee met with the President of the Lebanese University yesterday, where it was informed of the Minister of Education’s approval to increase the names to address the issue of sectarian balance.
Regarding the position of the professors regarding the implementation mechanism, Shukr stressed that the strike will not be suspended merely because the first batch is approved, but rather will continue until the complete file is approved in terms of numbers, names, and timetable, after which the professors will be distributed into batches, the first of which will begin at the beginning of the year. He recalled that the Council of Ministers had previously approved the total number required, and all that remained was to decide the distribution of names and batches in the next stage.
