School pupils in Lebanon will begin returning to schools on April 21, Education Minister Tarek Majzoub announced on Thursday.
Pupils at public and private schools will resume their education in person as well as learning online under a blended learning approach.
Mr Majzoub said the return to schools will happen in three stages, starting with Lebanese Baccalaureate pupils in Year 12.
The second stage includes Brevet pupils in Year 9 and kindergarten pupils, set to return on May 5.
The rest of the classes will return on May 17, in the third and final stage.
Pupils who are unable to return to school because of health concerns will be exempt from the plan and can continue distance learning.
Mr Majzoub said official exams will go ahead as normal this year, despite calls for them to be cancelled.
"The education minister's job is not to take the easy way out," he said. "Cancelling official exams is a political and populist decision."
Exams for Year 12 pupils will begin on July 26, while exams for Year 9pupils will begin on July 12, Mr Majzoub said.
The decision came after Lebanon's national coronavirus committee released a statement advising the education sector to resume activities in line with virus precautions and safety measures.
Education in Lebanon was disrupted in late 2019, when nationwide protests began and roadblocks made it difficult to commute to schools.
The country was then hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the Beirut port blast, and a crippling economic crisis, all of which have affected the education sector.
On March 8, the education minister announced a week-long suspension of classes to protest against the state's inaction in supporting the sector against the mounting crises.
Classes resumed on March 15 after meetings with officials led to what Mr Majzoub called “positive outcomes”.
One of the main demands for a safe return to schools in Lebanon was prioritising teachers and school staff in the national vaccination drive.
Teachers received their first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 29, marking the beginning of the vaccination campaign in the education sector.
Another demand was financial support for schools and teachers, which Mr Majzoub reiterated in the conference on Thursday.
"We proposed a law to the parliament and we're hoping they will pass it, because it aims to support public and private education, as well as help ease the burden on teachers," Mr Majzoub said. "Salaries that were initially not enough for teachers are definitely insufficient now, and teachers' financial state is much worse now.
"This is not poetry or empty talk, it's reality," he said.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Mobile phone packages comparison
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
more from Janine di Giovanni
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.
54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Company%20Profile
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
