UNICEF Calls On Lebanese Officials To Compensate Thousand School Teachers

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As public school teachers in Lebanon have been struggling with drastic cuts to their salaries in the past months, UNICEF sent out a call to Lebanese officials to step up.

“UNICEF is aware of the tough situation that public schools’ contracted teachers are facing with regard to the payment of outstanding salaries,” the organization said in a statement.

UNICEF went on to stress that it would be “advocating for the remaining dues to be paid” and called for “the ongoing process to be expedited to the best interest of the teachers and the children.”

UNICEF in Lebanon hosts students who have missed out on years of education. Photo by: Fouad Choufany

For years, even before multiple crises struck Lebanon, teachers in public and private education sectors have been protesting against constant delays in payments, as well as demanding better wages.

Now, one can only imagine how dire is a teacher’s living situation under the toughest economic crisis the country has been through, which left the local currency almost worthless.

In 2013, teachers march from Beirut’s Hamra to the Grand Serail to protest over the government’s failure raise their wages. Photo by: Hasan Shaaban.

A Lebanese resident working as a teacher in Lebanon now earns around 1,760,000 LBP per month.

Salaries range from 913,000 LBP (lowest) to 2,690,000 LBP (highest).

Even the highest salary a school teacher might get, accumulates to roughly around 280$ per month, according to the black market rate while a Lebanese University professor whose salary was worth $2,466 before the devaluation is now worth $394 per month.

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