The Cabinet unanimously approved July 24th turning contract-based Lebanese University (LU) professors into full-timers, following years of haggling and protests.

“Some 1200 working on part time basis will become exclusive teachers, and the Cabinet will convene in a few days to release the relevant decree and publish it in the Official Gazette,” said Albert Aoun, Media Spokesperson for the minister of education. 

Aoun said that once in, these new professors will engage in full time activities including research. Issam Khalife, a former head of the LU Professors Committee said that the move is positive. “Many of the new teachers are graduates of prestigious foreign universities who have waited a long time for this,” Khalife said.

Monthly salaries start at LL 3,800,000 (around $2,500) and can reach $5,300. “But that figure is rarely if ever reachable. Khalife said, “I have 40 years of teaching experience and I retired with a $3,500 salary."  Taking an average of $3,000, the Cabinet decision will cost $43 million the first year. This does not include the cost of retirement or end-of-service allowance.

The Cabinet also agreed to appoint deans for 19 Lebanese University faculties.