Beirut: Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Rima Karami, met with a delegation from the Islamic Charitable Association al-Maqassed in Saida. The delegation was led by President Mohammad al-Bizri and included board members Bilal Kilo, Mahmoud al-Sabbagh, Dr. Mazen al-Kotob, and Houzeifa al-Mallah. The meeting, which also saw the presence of Minister Karami’s media advisor Albert Chamoun, concentrated on the pressing challenges within the private education sector.

According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the delegation highlighted several long-standing issues, such as overdue payments to semi-free schools. They emphasized the need to involve peripheral institutions like al-Maqassed in the ministry’s workshops to address these challenges effectively. Al-Bizri commended Minister Karami’s commitment and reiterated the association’s dedication to finding a balance between teachers’ rights and the financial limitations faced by families and schools.

Minister Karami acknowledged the significant role that al-Maqassed has played in the education sector for the past 146 years and assured the ministry’s support for inclusive educational planning. An invitation was extended to the minister to visit Saida, with the delegation offering the association’s resources to aid the ministry’s reform initiatives.

The delegation also convened with Director of Private Education Imad al-Ashqar to discuss sector-specific challenges further.