Free and compulsory education for children in Lebanon is a priority for the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
Within the framework of the Child Rights Program - Child Rights Governance in Developmental Action without Borders / Nabaa’ and the Arabic Network for children’s right “ Manara” which is being supported by the Swedish international Development Cooperation Agency in partnership with Save the Children International, A delegation of five Lebanese children and refugees in Lebanon have presented their advocacy plan Within the child-led advocacy methodology for the minister of education and higher education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh in the presence of representatives of the National Coalition for Children's Rights in Lebanon, ALEF association and in the presence of media advisor at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Albert Chamoun.
The children began to present their plan to the minister of education and higher education Mr.Hamadeh, through a definition by child “Hiba Al Nahar” Where she thanked His Excellency for his time and effort in serving the children especially in the file of education in which the group of children who are advocating have considered it as a priority within the framework of issues and problems which appeared through the results of the Child-Led Data Collection Report, She introduced her herself and her colleagues as well as she went through introducing the program and why they are present as children in this meeting.
After that, the child Moheddine Naqouzi have introduced Development action without borders / Nabaa' and the Arabic network of children's rights "Manara". Then the child “Somaya Halim defined the National Coalition for the Rights of the child as well as she defined the partners, Alef Association and the role of children and their work in this coalition.
After that, the child Marwa Hussein have presented the content of the advocacy plan that resided on free and compulsory education for children as an issue to be worked on since they consider it an issue in case of reaching the results achieved so it will change the lives of all children in Lebanon for the better, where the focus was on the implementation of law 150/2011 in addition to amendment it in order to include all children that are existing in Lebanese territory, and not only Lebanese children. Add to this, the amendment should include not only the free education in the primary stage but also in the intermediate stage, as to be free and comprehensive that cover books, stationery, transportation, and school custom.
As well as children called to achieve the mandatory education through the imposition of financial sanctions progressive forcing parents to keep their children in school until the completion of the intermediate stage.
And then the child Mahmoud Abdel-Majid and Moheddine Naqouzi have presented the activities of the advocacy plan that the children intend to carry out to achieve their goals, which have been mentioned previously in the amendments to the laws. Then, the child Hiba closed the meeting by thanking the minister of education and higher education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh as well as she asked him to partner in the realization of what the children seeks to achieve and to recommend suggestions to enrich the advocacy plan.
The minister of education and higher education “Marwan Hamadeh " welcomed the presence of children in particular, and praised the effort exerted by the children and their unifying on a specific issue that they through which they want to change their lives and this is a pride of childhood in itself. And he announced his adoption of the issue chosen by children, especially as it is within its competence as a ministry and considered it one of the most important issues that protect children from many of the pests that kill them as well as he placed himself in the behave of the children group in support their plans and set up a plan to support it.
1. Invite an expanded meeting involving the National Coalition and children In addition to the Minister, the Director General, the directors of education, research, and guidance, and all partners of the Ministry of Education from international organizations to present the results of the children's report and to present their plan to advocate compulsory and free education for all children in Lebanon.
2. Invite for a national conference during the month of November 2018 also to present the results and the advocacy plan.
3. The implementation of mandatory and free education until secondary education even if there is no law required to do so.
4. Collaborate in accomplishing the amendment regarding project law and work on it through its existence in the ministry or through its existence in the Bureau of the House of Representatives so that it will speed up the adoption of amendments.
He also discussed the issue of reducing the UNRWA budget and the conspiracy that is taking place around it to eliminate it as an international organization dealing with Palestinian refugee issues and that they will work with politics to follow up on this issue to maintain the existence of this organization to carry out its duties by mobilizing the local community for its responsibilities in this file, particularly education and health.
