Education Minister Abbas Halabi and Health Minister Firass Abiad held a joint press conference today to announce the return to schools and educational institutions as of Jan 10 with strict measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Here’s what we know:

    • “We are moving towards opening schools and other educational institutions, and the Education Ministry will publish a report on numbers of cases in each school and governorate,” Halabi said, adding that rapid tests will be distributed to schools.

    • “There will be a safe return to schools, and the spread of the [COVID-19] virus came during the holiday,” he continues, hinting that in-person classes were not to blame for the most recent outbreak of the virus.

    • From his part, Abiad said: “We all know about the epidemiological situation in Lebanon, and what we have witnessed in recent days of an increase in infections is a reflection of two things, Omicron… and gatherings on holidays have made a significant contribution.”

    • Closing schools for the third year will constitute a “tragedy and disaster, because the most valuable thing we can give our children is knowledge,” he said. Students’ mental health necessitates their return to schools and engagement in activities, he added.

    • “We accepted the challenge and there will be a return to schools with strict preventive measures,” Abiad noted.