After two of Lebanon’s top universities decided to hike their tuition prices by increasing the dollar exchange rate to 3,900 LBP, thousands of students were left feeling hopeless and helpless about their futures.
This led to an eruption of student protests against the administration of the American University of Beirut (AUB), which was the first to take the decision to increase its prices. When riot police intervened, the protests turned brutal and violent.
Students became even more enraged when the Lebanese American University (LAU) followed suit and raised its tuition fees, sending thousands of more students into helplessness.
It is to note that, according to these two universities’ public records of 2020, LAU counts about 8,044 registered students, and AUB counts about 9,495.
If these numbers published on the universities’ websites are accurate, it brings the number of youth affected by the dollarization of tuition fees in Lebanon to 17,539 students, which is tragic.
The tragedy lies in the fact that most of them won’t be able to continue the education they’ve started unless they move to other universities that are endorsing a more clement or understanding position towards the students.
While it is not a move without complications and sacrifices, there are other Lebanese universities that, although similarly struggling from the economic crisis, have decided to leave their tuitions unchanged, at least for now.
One of these is the University of Balamand (UOB), which is Lebanon’s 2nd top university. UOB has already reassured its students of its decision to keep the exchange rate at the official government rate of 1,500 LBP.
In addition, the management at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) has informed The961 that it will also maintain the same tuition exchange rate for the current semester.
The961 has also learned that the Saint Joseph University (USJ), Beirut Arab University (BAU), Lebanese International University (LIU), and the American University of Science and Technology (AUST) will not be increasing their tuition fees for the time being.
Many of the institutions mentioned above have been ranked among the top 8 Lebanese universities for 2021 and serve as viable options for students during these harrowing times.
Meanwhile, the students of LAU and AUB continue to try saving their educational paths in their current universities, fighting for what they deem, by law, to be their rights.
Their campaign We Won’t Pay hence continues with the hope that the authorities will heed their plea and seriously consider the must for Lebanon to ensure the propagation of an educated society.
