Minister of Education Issues Circular on 2026 General Secondary Exam Measures and Adoption of 3 Sessions

Minister of Education Rima Karami issued the following circular:

"Pursuant to Council of Ministers Decision No. 62 dated 22/5/2026, which approves a draft decree aimed at establishing special provisions related to conducting the official examinations for the General Secondary Certificate in its four branches for the year 2026 in accordance with exceptional measures imposed by the requirements of educational justice, taking into account flexibility and differences in students' conditions, while simultaneously ensuring the proper conduct of the examinations and preserving their level and credibility, through the adoption of three consecutive sessions, thereby allowing for accommodating various circumstances that prevent some candidates from participating on specific dates, which guarantees the inclusion of all candidates and enhances the principle of equal opportunities and the achievement of fairness and equality, and in order to give a real equal opportunity for all male and female students on Lebanese territory to prepare for those examinations each according to their circumstances. And preserving this right, and the freedom of male and female students to choose the session they wish to take for the examinations, whether the first session or the second session, each according to their circumstances and readiness.

The Minister of Education wishes to emphasize, to all directors of public and private schools and secondary institutions and members of the educational body in their various roles, the complete abstention from exercising any pressure on male and female students or allowing it to occur, which affects their selection process, and giving them full space and cognitive and psychological support to enable male and female students to make the decision to take either the first or second session. She draws the attention of male and female students and parents, that she has placed at their service the ministry's hotline at the number: 01-772288 to report any violation of this circular whether in public or private schools, and the Minister of Education commits to pursuing and holding accountable any administrator or educator who violates what is stated above for any reason whatsoever.

The minister reassures male and female students that their rights are fully preserved in accordance with the regulatory decree for these examinations, and that any student who misses the first session for any reason whatsoever, even if they were registered in it by their school or secondary institution administration, retains their full right to take the second session, and if they are not successful in it, they can apply for the third session within the approved legal frameworks.

The minister also confirms that the three sessions will be conducted in accordance with unified standards that ensure justice and transparency for all candidates while preserving the principle of quality and credibility".