In this field report for “Open Mic,” we highlight the difficulties faced by students and citizens when completing basic government procedures and certifying academic documents at Lebanon’s Ministry of Education.
The report features first-hand accounts describing what many citizens see as a state of disorder and daily humiliation.
Several people who were forced to spend hours standing in crowded queues expressed their frustration with the lack of organization.
Some said that obtaining a single document has become like “begging”, while others claimed that paying bribes is sometimes necessary to get things done.
Citizens also criticized what they described as a continued culture of administrative corruption and the authorities’ inability to organize even basic public services.
They questioned the value of promises of change if the foundations of the state and the everyday services provided to citizens remain in such poor condition.
