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Schools across Lebanon in the hands of Naeem Qassem’s children

Schools across Lebanon in the hands of Naeem Qassem’s children

A network linked to Naeem Qassem’s family is using schools and educational technology to collect personal data and support Hezbollah.

By Mariana El Khoury | September 30, 2025
Reading time: 3 min
Schools across Lebanon in the hands of Naeem Qassem’s children

Day after day, new files are being uncovered about Hezbollah’s methods of infiltrating Lebanon’s vital sectors, the latest being education.

Nidaa Al-Watan has obtained reliable information exposing an interconnected web of companies, programs, and “illegal” unions, all serving one objective: laundering money, funding Hezbollah, and building a massive database on students, teachers, and their families, a tool that can later be used for pressure and intimidation.

 

R.B. and ACTC

At the heart of this network are the two sons of Sheikh Naeem Qassem. They operate through R.B., the agent of the British company Promission in Lebanon under the name ACTC, in partnership with a Hezbollah-affiliated figure in a leadership role.

A dispute erupted between R.B. and his partner, but instead of being resolved in Lebanese courts, the case was settled in Hezbollah’s “courts,” which ordered the closure of the institute under the company’s name on Airport Road, leaving only the Nabatiyeh branch operational.

R.B. did not stop there. He went on to establish a second company, IET, specializing in selling interactive smart boards for classrooms (once priced at $6,000 each before the economic crisis, now $2,400). Sources indicate that he shipped six containers for this school year and sold them all.

 

An “illegal” union backed by a Minister

Under Labor Minister Mustafa Bayram, and just two days before the government’s resignation, a so-called “Educational Technology Union” was created without any official decree or legal framework, merely through a direct exemption from Bayram. Unsurprisingly, the head of this illegal union was R.B. himself.

The move sparked controversy: how could a new union be permitted to compete with an existing one, the Informatics Union led by George Khoury? When Khoury questioned it, he received direct threats from R.B.

 

From ACTC to ElectroSlab

Nidaa Al-Watan also uncovered another name: ElectroSlab, a small tech shop owned by A.S. This modest business suddenly expanded into a two-story store with new branches. One employee revealed the reason: the expansion aimed to sell equipment to Syrian schools through the Assad regime. But setbacks in Syria derailed the plan, causing an estimated $500,000 in losses, covered not by the shop owner but by Naeem Qassem’s sons.

The unsold equipment was later dumped cheaply on the Lebanese market, far below its purchase price from China, flooding schools with supplies and drawing them into the trap of “e-school.”

 

“E-school”: More dangerous than just software

The most alarming element is the “e-school” program, an app that monitors students, storing residential information, parents’ names, teachers’ data, and even tracking locations. Once downloaded, location tracking activates automatically. According to the commercial registry, the program is also tied to Naeem Qassem’s sons.

This system, giving access to vast school and personal data, has infiltrated many institutions including Catholic schools, Maqasid schools, Evangelical schools, and schools in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Some Catholic schools withdrew after learning who was behind it, but others stayed on for three reasons:

-          Low cost: $2 per student at first, later $3, cheaper than the $5–$7 charged by competitors.

-          Direct incentives: staff who marketed the app received $1 per student.

-          Discounted supplies: schools using the app could buy equipment from ElectroSlab at heavily reduced prices.

As a result, the program spread widely, handing Hezbollah a goldmine of personal data on tens of thousands of students and families.

 

Targeted marketing

The marketing was anything but random. IET and ElectroSlab used tailored intermediaries:

-          In Christian areas: G.N.

-          In Sunni areas: a Syrian figure acceptable to Sunnis

-          In Shia areas: Hezbollah’s “Educational Mobilization” unit

When R.B.’s role drew too much scrutiny, R.Sh. was brought in to handle e-school promotion.

 

The Union as a cover

The illegally established union served as the primary cover for this entire operation. Entering schools with the title of “union president” or “union member” inspired trust and facilitated sales, even though none of the members were qualified. Anyone could join, even with just a basic computer course.

The scandal extended to the Lebanese University, where Professor N.M. called in R.B. to fix a technical issue. That visit ended with the theft of all student and faculty data.

 

From ACTC to IET, ElectroSlab, and e-school

Different names, same result: Naeem Qassem’s sons are orchestrating money laundering, Hezbollah financing, and the collection of sensitive personal data on Lebanese citizens, from schoolchildren to university professors.

The danger is not only financial or legal but, above all, security related. When an armed party possesses a complete database of citizens, it gains a powerful tool to monitor and threaten opponents. This has long been Hezbollah’s practice, relying on military force and the information it amasses.

This case goes beyond education or unions. It directly touches Lebanon’s national security, raising serious questions about the absence of state oversight and leaving schools vulnerable to a project far more dangerous than mere “educational technology.”

 

 

    • Mariana El Khoury