عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

South Lebanon Students Protected by Int’l Forces During Official Exams

Lebanon’s official exams for the General Secondary Certificate start on Saturday (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanon’s official exams for the General Secondary Certificate start on Saturday (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

South Lebanon Students Protected by Int’l Forces During Official Exams

Lebanon’s official exams for the General Secondary Certificate start on Saturday (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanon’s official exams for the General Secondary Certificate start on Saturday (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Every day, 18-year-old Raneem Khalifa braved shelling on her route from Kfar Hamam near Israel’s border to Nabatieh for her exams. Her goal was simple yet daunting: to reach the exam center safely and return home unharmed.

Despite her town’s daily struggles with shelling and the destruction of her family’s homes, Raneem remained resolute in pursuing her Technical Baccalaureate (BT) certificate.

She faced constant power and internet cuts, displacement, and a lack of textbooks.

Her determination to take exams rather than accept diplomas without testing reflects her strong belief: “We've sacrificed too much for everyone to get diplomas easily.”

Khalifa, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, highlighted the tough mental strain southern students face.

Lebanon began vocational and technical exams on June 21, with General Secondary exams starting this Saturday.

Despite calls to cancel, Education Minister Abbas Halabi insisted on holding exams nationwide.

Halabi announced buses secured by the ministry to safely transport General Secondary students from tense areas to exam centers, guarded by Lebanese forces and UN peacekeepers known as UNIFIL.

The measure starts Saturday for students preparing for exams.

Security sources welcomed the move, expecting it to ease student stress and ensure safe transit to exam centers from their homes.

Around 43,000 students, including 2,000 in shelling-prone areas, are set to sit for General Secondary exams.

Education Ministry sources assure that all exam centers are safely located outside combat zones, ensuring security.

An Israeli military strike targeted a building in Nabatieh housing exam centers late Wednesday, sparking tensions in Lebanon. Lebanese sources said Hezbollah has reduced military activities this week to ensure student safety for exams.

“If security authorities deem it unsafe for exams in the south, we'll cancel. Safety comes first,” said Halabi.

Responding to concerns about student safety in the south, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said: “All exam centers in the south are operating normally, with only a one percent absentee rate. This shows the resilience of southern residents staying on their land.”

High school seniors are gearing up for exams this Saturday, with many concerned about their mental state affecting their performance.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
TT
TT

Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unwilling to pursue peace in Syria and warned that Israel’s efforts to spread war across the Middle East are undermining the environment fostered by the Astana Process.

Fidan emphasized the importance of Russian and Iranian efforts within the framework of the Astana Process to maintain calm on the ground, pointing to ongoing consultations with the US regarding the Syrian crisis.

Speaking during a parliamentary session discussing the 2025 budget of the Foreign Ministry, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s expectation that the dialogue proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be approached strategically by the Syrian government, with priority given to the interests of the Syrian people.

Regarding Erdogan’s invitation to Assad for a meeting to discuss the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus, Fidan remarked that the matter depends on political will, stressing that the Turkish president has demonstrated his readiness at the highest level.

Last week, Erdogan reiterated the possibility of a meeting with Assad, but Russia, which mediates the normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus, ruled out such a meeting or high-level engagements in the near future.

Russian Presidential Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev attributed the impasse to Türkiye’s refusal to meet Damascus’ demand for a withdrawal from northern Syria, accusing Ankara of acting as an “occupying state”.

Although Türkiye has not officially responded to Lavrentiev’s comments, which reflect a shift in Russia’s stance, Fidan stated in a televised interview last week that Russia remains “somewhat neutral” regarding the normalization process. He also urged the Syrian government to create conditions for the return of 10 million Syrian refugees.

Türkiye maintains that its military presence in northern Syria prevents the country’s division, blocks the establishment of a “terror corridor” along its southern border, and deters new waves of refugees from entering its territory.

Fidan outlined his country’s key objectives in Syria, which include eradicating terrorist groups (such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Syrian Democratic Forces), preserving Syria’s territorial unity, advancing the political process, and ensuring the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, Turkish artillery targeted villages and positions controlled by the Manbij Military Council, affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose main component is the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

On Friday, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian National Army factions and the SDF in western Tel Abyad, northern Raqqa. Simultaneously, Turkish artillery strikes reportedly killed two SDF members and injured others, with reports of captives and missing personnel.

In retaliation, the SDF shelled Turkish bases in the Ain Issa countryside. Turkish forces responded by deploying military reinforcements amid heightened alert at their bases in Raqqa’s countryside, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).