Frem: An uprising against corruption

 “Friends of Public School” organized a ceremony honoring the valedictorians of the top students in Junior Certificate and high school exams in Keserwan – Ftouh public schools. This ceremony was held at the Casino du Liban, in the presence of Minister of Education Marwan Hmedeh, head of Department of Private Education Imad Achkar, Head of “Friends of Public School” association engineer Neemat Frem, Head of the Educational Zone in Mount Lebanon Dr. Vera Zeitouny, secretary of the association Dr. Suhail Matar, President of the World Environment Party Doumit Kamel, Heads of Municipalities and Mukhtars, Keserwan-Ftouh Public schools Directors and students’ parents.

Ceremony started with the national Anthem, followed by the host Hikmat Hnein’s speech, after which student Georgio Atallah played the keyboard, and student Mirna AL-Chalfoun made the speech of top excellent students emphasizing that “year after year, number of excellent students is increasing in public high schools, credits go to the support of public schools Managements.”

Matar made a speech in which he said:” With those kind of students, we build Lebanon, with this kind of innocence we get rid of corruption and darkness, with their success we dare to dream of a promising generous future, with their innovation the dream raises to truth level where we can face the world as civilized people differently than we see in the region.”

He pointed out that “27 years ago and after the Taif agreement, and given the conditions of destructed and occupied public schools, the late George Frem launched an appeal to support the school and the state through public schools. Until when does the public school remain the last refuge for the students? Is it the school of the poor, the deprived? Why is the school’s director deprived from authority to lead the public school same as the private ones? Why do we face each year strikes, sit-ins and problems? I hope Mr. Minister Hmede seek to free public schools from restrictions and give management the required power. In public schools students are top ranked in their minds and efforts much more than students of other schools. On the subject of displaced Syrian students, I hope they all return to their country as soon as possible and safely.

Frem addressed the attendance by saying: “If late poet Said Akl were among us today he would have said on this occasion: This Is Lebanon! These significant superior top determined students make us believe in a beautiful future for Lebanon, perhaps not right away, not this country that doesn’t represent us truly. The elegant professional pro-cleaner top student may not feel like being a citizen in this Lebanon, but he sees himself in his future. The effort of your parents is between our hands and the hopes of society are in your eyes. This year, we would love to share with you the joy of excellence because we’re in need of your capacities so we face the world with excellence in Lebanon. We came today not to honor you but to borrow this spirit of excellence from you, because we feel daily that this level is decreasing in Lebanon, and creativity became hard to find, and corruption is everywhere, especially in the public section. A space of excellence and devotion must be supported by your ambitions and initiatives of this kind. Future Lebanon, which we look forward, can only be in the service of its people, and there is no Lebanon if there is no space for the people. Everyone bows to the image of the Lebanese in the whole world.

Frem expressed his regret when he saw the difference between the Lebanese citizen and Lebanon, between his achievements in the world and the failure in Lebanon. He asked whether this country is for this people, “there is a revolution burning inside my heart, and I know that there is one also burning inside of yours. Lebanon is a better place because of your existence and it could be even more professional and innovative. What is needed now is action, because we won’t accept Lebanon to be the mockery of the world. This country must be a land of creativity for Lebanese and students like you.

Afterwards, Mr. Achkar delivered a speech also representing minister Hmede, regarding the role of public schools and the importance of supporting public education in Lebanon.

At the end of the ceremony, Frem and Achkar handed over prizes to excellent students, after which both of them with Zeitouny and Matar, all received awards of appreciation, ending up toasting the occasion.