Sami Minkara, Minister of Education and Higher Studies

Place and Date of Birth: Born in Tripoli in 1943. Son of Ahmad Minkara, a co-founder of the Islamic Makarem Al-Akhalak Association.
Sect: Sunnite.
Marital status: Married to Rajaa' Makki with 3 children, Ruba, Saadallah, and Ghiwa.
Education: Joined the Lebanese Army Military Academy in 1960. Graduated on top of his class with the rank of Lieutenant at the Internal Security Forces (ISF). His career at the ISF reached its peak in 1991 when he retired with the rank of general. He also holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration.
Professional Background: He held senior ISF posts at the Beirut Police Department and the ISF Staff Command. His duties included administration, planning and development, and ISF Staff Command. In addition to his military career, Minkara has been a lecturer in various academic institutions such as the Faculties of Law and Public Health at the Lebanese University, the Faculties of Law and Public Administration at the Islamic University, the Universal Institute of Technology where he teaches public finance, public administration, the laws on the organization of medical professions and the laws on juvenile delinquency. Since 1998, he has been the advisor to the president of International Association of Cities for the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine).
Philanthropic Activities: Minkara is still the deputy head of the Lebanese Red Cross Association in which he was appointed in November 1998.
Political Background: He is a member of of the Arab Liberation Party headed by Prime Minister Omar Karami, in addition to being his advisor.
Current Political Status: Minister of Educational and Higher Studies
Publications:
1- The Organization of The Ammunition Department, General Security Forces (1975).
2- The Role of the Arab Organization for Social Defense in Crime Prevention (1979).
3- The Role of Public Spending in the National Economy between 1960 and 1972 (1980).
4- The Management of Budgeting in the Modern State (1989).
5- The Conditions of the Tripoli Municipality (1994).
6- The Best Administration in the Public and Private Sectors (1996).
7- The Principles of Human Rights and Liberties (1998).
8- The Traditional and Modern Concepts on Public Finance and Budgeting (2000).
9- Different Studies on legislation, municipal work, centralization, decentralization and administrative reforms.
10- A wide array of articles on political, constitutional and financial issues published in different Lebanese newspapers.