Abu-Ghazaleh and Lebanese Minister of Education Discuss Means of Developing Education in Lebanon

AMMAN – HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global), has received in his office Lebanese Minister of Education and Higher Education, HE Dr. Abbas Al-Halabi, to discuss means of cooperation in developing the education process in Lebanon. 

During the meeting, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh briefed his guest on TAG.Global’s specialized services in the areas of education, digital learning, and research networks; in addition to the services offered by Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University College for Innovation (TAGUCI). 

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stressed the need for the Lebanese Education Ministry to adopt the ‘Smart School Bag’ in schools by converting traditional textbooks into e-books, as that would help decrease the Ministry's financial burdens. At the same time, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh urged the Ministry to embrace the ‘interactive education system’ that will enrich the students’ experiences and resources of knowledge.

In the same context, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh pointed to the plan he is jointly implementing with the public authorities in Lebanon toward fighting digital illiteracy by embracing digital transformation, emphasizing that integrating digital transformation technology in all areas is the future of all sectors and businesses, and the ideal tool to face Lebanon’s crisis.

He also stressed TAG.Global’s readiness to provide digital transformation services to the Ministry, referring to the consulting services paper to be presented by the TAG.Global to Lebanon’s National Social Security Fund (NSSF) which includes a set of consulting services related to digital transformation and automation to meet the Ministry’s strategic goals. 

Additionally, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh affirmed TAG.Global’s commitment to devote all its resources and expertise to help the Ministry achieve these goals, emphasizing the need to keep pace with the e-transformation process in all the country’s public institutions and departments, particularly in education.

He also underlined the need to move towards ‘necessary development’ instead of ‘sustainable development’, stressing the Organization’s willingness to cooperate with the Ministry in several fields, including digital transformation and e-archiving. 

For his part, Dr. Al-Halabi extended his thanks to Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh for giving him the opportunity to know more about TAG.Global’s contribution to promoting the level of education in Arab countries' educational institutions. That is in addition to achieving and ensuring quality in education by granting accreditation from the Arab Organization for Quality Assurance in Education (AROQA), highlighting the social, economic, and financial challenges obstructing the educational process advancement and keeping abreast of technological developments.

Dr. Al-Halabi drew attention to the reality of education in Lebanon, as well as the Ministry's crises that have affected its ability to secure the necessary needs for schools and educational institutes, especially the necessary funding for printing curriculum and textbooks, and the provision of school supplies and stationary this year.

Minister Al-Halabi underscored the importance of evaluating computer software and programs at Lebanon’s Ministry, where Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh expressed TAG.Global’s readiness to carry out such a study. 

Concerning the Finnish experience in education, Mr. Loay Abu-Osbeh, Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh office consultant, said that TAG.Global studied the Finnish experience in education through a specialized committee formed by Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum. The committee, then, issued its recommendations to benefit from this experience, noting that the Organization will provide the Ministry with these recommendations accordingly. 

It is worth mentioning that the meeting was attended by Ms. Ramza Saad, director of the Minister's office, in addition to a number of executive directors at TAG.Global specialized in information technology, digital transformation and education improvement.