A delegation from the Teachers Syndicate, headed by Captain Neama Mahfoud, visited Minister of Education Rima Karami and discussed with her a number of urgent educational files, especially the official exams for the intermediate certificate (brevet) and the high school certificate and the end date of the academic year, in addition to the cost of organizing the official exams and securing the financial benefits for the professors and administrators participating in them. According to a statement by the union, Minister Karami informed the delegation of the expected directions and decisions, most notably: - Extending the academic year for an additional week in order to allow the completion of the educational process in various regions. Regarding the intermediate certificate exams (brevet), Karami explained that “there is a serious proposal to cancel the national exam that was previously proposed, with each school adopting internal exams that it organizes itself, in accordance with unified controls and standards set by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and under its direct supervision, in a way that ensures justice and transparency among all students.” - Regarding the general secondary school certificate exams, Karami stressed that “the exams will be conducted in three sessions, and that the first session will be held on the specified date. She also explained that school administrations, in coordination with parents and students, can choose whether their students will apply to the first or second session, while giving the student the right to apply for two sessions. The school administration also has the right to directly decide to register its students in the second session, taking into account the conditions of schools located in unstable or war-affected areas, and granting students An additional opportunity extends for about three weeks between the first and second sessions.” With regard to securing the necessary funding to organize official exams, Karami indicated that “the allocated funds come either from the Ministry of Finance’s appropriations, or through contributions and support from international bodies, including UNICEF.” Karami confirmed that, “starting next week, in-person education will be provided to all public school students who were pursuing their education remotely as a result of security and logistical circumstances.” In a point described as prominent and essential, the minister informed the union delegation that “the Ministry of Education will announce, within a maximum period of next May 15, the mechanism for reducing the curricula or reducing the subjects required in the official exams for both the Brevet and the General Secondary Examinations, taking into account the exceptional circumstances that the current academic year has gone through.” During the meeting, Mahfoud raised the issue of the grant of 650 billion Lebanese pounds to the Compensation Fund for the members of the educational staff in private schools, especially the amount of 200 billion pounds submitted under a law proposal to the General Assembly of the House of Representatives, calling on Minister Karami to “follow up on this vital file because of its importance in supporting the compensation fund and protecting the rights of the members of the educational staff in private schools. Minister Karami promised to follow up the issue with the relevant authorities.” At the conclusion of the meeting, he stressed "the necessity of preserving the value of official certificates and the rights of students and professors together, and ensuring all the educational and financial components that guarantee the smooth conduct of official examinations in the various Lebanese regions."