Dusty pianos, empty classrooms… In Lebanon, the premises of the National Conservatory of Music reflect the image of the country, plunged into an economic crisis that has dealt a severe blow to the public sector. Toufic Kerbage, 65, is one of many Lebanese who saw their income and savings melt away after the economic sinking at the end of 2019.
Without family support, “I would have starved to death”, says this conservatory teacher who, before the crisis, lived comfortably on his salary. Today it barely touches more than 70 dollars, the Lebanese pound having lost almost 98% of its value against the greenback. And because of rising gas prices, Toufic Kerbage now offers its courses online. But he has to spend more than he earns in order to be able to pay for the subscription to a neighborhood generator, a common practice in a country where public electricity is cut off for about twenty hours a day.
Among his colleagues at the conservatory, which has several thousand students in its 17 different regional branches, there are some who also give private lessons in parallel, while others have preferred to resign. “It’s difficult at my age to ask my family for money,” said Toufic Kerbage in the silence of the Sin el-Fil conservatory near Beirut, saying he was “worried” for those who have no one to help them. help.
Faced with this situation, some teachers and students have decided to take matters into their own hands, by organizing independent concerts. “I am here today to support my colleagues,” says Ghada Ghanem, a teacher, soprano and concert organizer, speaking ahead of a performance at a theater in Beirut.
Some teachers moved or “sold their car” to survive, laments Ghada Ghanem, who herself went through the national conservatory during the civil war years from 1975 to 1990. “We will solve our problems with our own talent” , says Ghada Ghanem. The proceeds from the performances will finance new concerts or be redistributed to the participants, she explains.
Matthew Ata, 10, says he is “a little nervous” ahead of his first concert. This is the first time he has met his guitar teacher, after two years of online lessons. Her mother, Rita Jabbour, “hopes things will get better,” pointing to the difficulties of online learning. Aline Chalvarjian, 33, studies the oud and lyrical singing. “I’m not motivated anymore,” she said as she considered the conservatory “like a second home.” From now on, “we have the impression of being left behind”.
Like other contract workers in the public sector, conservatory staff went on strike to demand their rights. In January, the leader of his union was sacked after organizing further protest actions. Strikes by public teachers have paralyzed the education sector in recent months.
Hiba al-Kawas, a famous Lebanese soprano who last year became the first woman to lead the conservatory, said she was working day and night to improve the situation, but the political crisis was hampering progress. The political class, unchanged for decades and accused of being responsible for the socio-economic crisis, is reluctant to put in place the reforms demanded by the international community to release much-needed aid to the country.
Without President of the Republic for more than six months – the deputies failing to agree on a successor – the country has been ruled for almost a year by an interim government with limited powers. Despite the obstacles, Hiba al-Kawas explains that he succeeded in obtaining increases in fees which should come into effect shortly.
A teacher who was paid 30,000 Lebanese pounds per hour would then receive 300,000 Lebanese pounds, she said. This is “only a first step”, she specifies, but which should ensure a return to face-to-face teaching. Professor Kerbage is optimistic. “Everything is good to take,” he said. “I could pay for my gas, my electricity and some food, that’s a lot.”
