Lebanon’s education sector, already strained by years of crises, faces fresh turmoil as newly appointed Education Minister Rima Karami proposes controversial reforms, including the cancellation of the Grade 9 official exams and the removal of elective subjects in high school.

Karami's plans to scrap the Grade 9 official exams, also known as "Brevet" exams, have sparked heated debate. Traditionally serving as a bridge between basic and secondary education, the Brevet has long been a benchmark for student assessment and a minimum qualification for various jobs in Lebanon. Critics warn that eliminating it could create inconsistencies in academic evaluation and undermine future employment opportunities.

Nehme Mahfoud, head of the Private School Teachers Syndicate, voiced concerns over the lack of a clear alternative to the Brevet.

"We reject its cancellation without establishing a fair evaluation mechanism," Mahfoud told Addiyar. "Will students be assessed based on their school grades? Who will oversee the grading, especially with some private institutions known for lax standards? Ensuring transparency is crucial."

Mahfoud also emphasized the need for comprehensive secondary school exams now that elective subjects are being abolished, arguing that the initial justification for electives — disruptions caused by war and displacement — no longer applies.

Contract teachers in the secondary education sector share similar reservations.

"As a high school teacher, I've witnessed firsthand the negative impact of previous measures granting automatic promotion to students without exams," said Muntaha Fawwaz, representative of Lebanon's secondary school contract teachers. "The students' academic levels dropped, and removing the Brevet will only exacerbate this decline."

Fawwaz stressed the importance of maintaining rigorous standards: "If cancellation is inevitable, there should be a unified examination across schools, graded by independent educators to ensure fairness."

Likewise, Hussein Mohammed Saad, head of the Primary Education Contract Teachers Committee, highlighted the broader consequences of abolishing the Brevet.

"This decision undermines the unified system for measuring educational standards and discourages students from striving for higher academic achievement," Saad said. "In the absence of national exams, we risk creating disparities in the quality of education across schools."

Saad also pointed to the long-term implications for Lebanon's labor market, where the Brevet has been a minimum qualification for jobs in various public sectors, such as forestry and the military.

"Removing this requirement could hinder job prospects for young people," he added.

With Lebanon's education system at a crossroads, the question remains: Are these reforms a necessary step toward modernization or a hasty reaction to a crumbling infrastructure? As the debate unfolds, students, parents, and educators alike await the government's final decision.