Education Ministry Issues Circular on Special Secondary Exams Conditions

The Minister of Education and Higher Education, Reema Karamy, issued Circular No. 41/M/2026, which defines the conditions and procedures for candidates wishing to take the special session of the official secondary certificate examinations across all four branches, including grading. The circular states:

"Based on the requirements of the higher educational interest and to ensure proper organization of official exams and equal opportunities for all candidates, and pursuant to Cabinet Decision No. (1) dated 25/6/2026, which mandates holding a special session for candidates of the general secondary certificate in its four branches despite the exemption from official exams for this certificate for the 2025-2026 academic year, the right to apply for this special session is limited to the following categories, in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in this circular."

First - Eligible Categories for the Special Session

The following groups are entitled to apply for the special session of the official secondary certificate exams for the 2025-2026 academic year:

1. Candidates registering as free candidates (private applicants).

2. Candidates who failed with an average below (9.5/20) based on their approved school results up to 1 March 2026.

3. Successful candidates whose legal, academic, or employment circumstances exclusively require them to sit for the official exams, under one of the following cases:

a. Those accepted to a university abroad, provided they submit an official university acceptance letter or a registration certificate from a duly recognized university.

b. Those accepted to a university within Lebanon, on condition of presenting an official certificate from the university proving that completing registration or benefiting from a scholarship requires presenting the general secondary certificate with grades.

c. Outstanding candidates wishing to obtain scholarships, provided their school average is not less than (16/20), as evidenced by the transcript for the 2025-2026 academic year.

d. Candidates whose employment conditions require presenting the general secondary certificate with grades, provided they submit an official document from their employer or a job offer explicitly stating this requirement.

4. Candidates who passed the general secondary certificate exams in all four branches in the 2025 session with an overall average below (12/20).

Second - Required Documents

The documents specified in the first article form an integral part of the authorization conditions to apply for the special session, and any application lacking these documents will not be accepted.

Third - Application Submission and Review Process

Applications from successful candidates wishing to participate in the special session must be submitted by official and private secondary schools, accompanied by the required documents, through the designated software within the deadline set by the Directorate General of Education.

These applications are referred to a committee formed for this purpose, which reviews the files and documents to verify their compliance with the conditions set in this circular. The committee submits its recommendations to the Minister of Education and Higher Education regarding acceptance or rejection of applications to facilitate appropriate decision-making.

Fourth - Verification of Grades

The Minister emphasizes the necessity for the Directorate General of Education to verify the accuracy of school grades entered by schools and secondary institutions and adopted for applying the provisions of this circular, by all appropriate means, including auditing, cross-checking, and requesting any additional documents or data if necessary.

Schools bear full responsibility for the accuracy of all grades and data they enter into the electronic system and are accountable for any proven errors, violations, or manipulations.

The Directorate General of Education also undertakes to follow up on any information, data, or complaints it receives regarding errors, violations, or manipulation of grades and to verify them according to proper procedures.

In cases where any manipulation or incorrect data entry or violation of this circular's provisions is proven, appropriate legal and administrative actions will be taken against those responsible, without prejudice to any other legal or disciplinary liabilities that may arise under applicable laws and regulations."