She added: "My heart and eyes are set on the priority of reviving the capacities of public schools, to the point that students in private schools will feel 'jealous' of the interventions, assistance, and facilities that will be provided to the former." She appealed to all those in charge of educational associations to be patient a little longer, continue their long struggle, and not hold students and official examinations hostage. "I am doing my utmost to stand by teachers, secure additional financial resources for them, achieve the goals they seek, and place them on the Cabinet table for approval."
Karami also said that efforts are underway to fill vacancies in leadership positions in the public education sector. "We have laid out the broad outlines of a mechanism for conducting interviews and computerized exams for nearly 350 vacant positions, and we have also organized a package of training courses for 650 principals aimed at improving their capabilities and overall performance and consolidating their role as a developing educational authority." She said officials in the educational offices of political parties would notice a new approach in terms of finding serious and effective solutions, carrying out the necessary diagnosis of related problems, and working according to educational and scientific standards recognized globally, where there is no room for "destructive politics." She asked whether it would be better for her to receive educational delegations, meet them for a few brief minutes, and fail to fulfill what she promised, or to raise their voice loudly and bring their rightful demands to light—particularly in the relatively complex issue of the full-time status of Lebanese University professors, for which she said the foundations of full cooperation and coordination had been established with the university’s board of directors, leading to fairness for a large number of deserving teaching staff and the securing of the necessary financial allocations.
In conclusion, Karami announced the imminent issuance of decrees related to the new curricula, which meet international specifications and standards and will be adopted gradually. She said they would earn the satisfaction and pride of Lebanese society as a whole and would be based on consolidating the principles of freedom of expression, intellectual and sound scientific criticism, and the use of appropriate, non-offensive language.
