On the morning of June 21st, the dean of the engineering faculty of the state-run Lebanese University (LU) announced the dollarization of its specialized masters’ programs for the academic year of 2022/2023.
Graduate students are given the option of paying in fresh dollars or at the daily Sayrafa rate. The dean later announced that the reason behind the dollarization is the different paid partnerships between the department and other organizations.
The Lebanese University (LU) is the only public university in Lebanon, catering to an approximation of 80,000 students. The dollarization of its specialized engineering masters’ program has left many of its students in a state of anxiety over the possibility of other departments following suit.
An LU law student, who asked to remain anonymous, told 961News, “I’m sure that the entire university will move to a dollarized tuition fee, especially that professors will certainly not allow the academic year to begin if they believe that there is a possibility of getting paid in fresh dollars.”
“Most students were not able to afford transportation to come and sit for exams when the tuition was still 250,000-500,000 LBP, others were not able to afford books, so I highly doubt that a high percentage of students will be able to continue their education, which is very dangerous,” she stressed.
As the LU, among other institutions, announces its pricing in fresh dollars or at the Sayrafa rate, the Lebanese currency’s value drops substantially, and the average Lebanese citizen is at a higher risk of poverty.
