American University in Dubai VP To Be Appointed Lebanon Education Minister

Elias Bou Saab

From being the Executive Vice-President of the American University in Dubai (AUD) to being appointed Lebanon’s Minister of Education, Elias Bou Saab’s journey into the hallowed halls of policy-making has been seamless.

Currently in Lebanon for his appointment, Bou Saab said he will be keeping his job at the AUD since much of the successes and accomplishments of his career at the AUD have earned him his current position in the Lebanese government.

In his new job, he is looking forward to applying the knowledge and experience gained from his 20-year career in higher education to bring more value to Lebanon’s education system. He credits His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for influencing him throughout his career in education.

His own credentials as an educator, he says, made him highly eligible for his ministerial position. "I was told that my experience and achievements in Dubai led them to think of me for the position. Also, the vision that Shaikh Mohammed had for Dubai influenced me directly in the way I work — this is evident in what we did at the university, and it will continue to be evident in what I will be doing in Lebanon."

With his career in education taking up all his time, Bou Saab did not have the time to get involved in Lebanon’s politics; however, with the current precarious political situation in the country and the formation of an emergency government to rescue Lebanon from collapse, the need of the hour has changed, he said. In picking him, the Lebanese government was on a quest to find an eligible candidate in the field of education, he said.

One of his many concerns, after becoming minister, is the current refugee crisis in Lebanon. According to Bou Saab, with over 90,000 students from Syria currently residing in Lebanon and obtaining an education in Lebanese public schools, the country continues to face insufficient government funds. International help, he emphasised, is greatly needed in Lebanon considering that $1,500 (Dh5, 508) yearly is spent per student which, in turn, adds up to more than $100 million in total per annum.

"We call for help from the United Nations, the European Union, the United states and many other countries," he said. "Many countries have been helping as much as they can and we have meetings coming up with the ambassadors regarding this issue."

He recognises the impact Syria’s political situation has on Lebanon overall, however, he stresses the importance of the upcoming elections paving the way forward for Lebanon’s stability. He urges citizens of Lebanon to take the upcoming elections seriously and respect the dates set for the elections by participating peacefully.

"We should be electing a president in two months and unless we are able to respect those elections, democracy in Lebanon will be in jeopardy," he said.

He has hope for Lebanon’s future. He does not expect any more civil wars though he is worried about the issue of terrorism in Lebanon. As he puts it, there are a lot of ‘Al Qaida lookalikes’ that continuously appear, seeking to destroy; however, members of the current government are cooperating with one another to put an end to international terrorism.

His new position will involve him moving between the UAE and Lebanon a lot, as Lebanon moves to rebuild itself, a challenge he is fully geared for.