Moussa al-Megarief, Libya’s education minister, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined 1,000 dinars for mismanaging a textbook shortage that occurred in the 2021 school year. He was found guilty of favoritism and violating equality principles in contract management.
The Libyan Minister of Education, Moussa al-Megarief, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison due to a textbook shortage that occurred in 2021. This announcement was made by the attorney-general’s office on Sunday. Additionally, he has been fined 1,000 dinars (approximately $200) and will lose his civil rights during his sentence and for one year afterward.
The Tripoli court found that al-Megarief violated principles of equality and displayed favoritism in managing contracts related to textbook printing. The textbook shortage began at the start of the 2021 school year, forcing parents to incur expenses on photocopies instead of receiving free materials from public schools due to the alleged mismanagement.
An investigation into al-Megarief’s handling of the situation examined the contractual procedures for printing textbooks, which led to this supply shortage. Although he was briefly detained, he was released for lack of evidence and returned to his position as education minister. Megarief cited the need to unify the school curriculum across Libya’s three regions as the reason for the delays in payments to suppliers, which contributed to the crisis.
In conclusion, Moussa al-Megarief’s conviction reflects serious mismanagement in Libya’s education sector regarding textbook provision. His sentence underscores the importance of equitable and efficient contract management within public institutions. The textbook shortage not only disrupted education but also placed an unexpected financial burden on families.
Original Source: www.thenews.com.pk
