Education Ministry promises adjustments after inconveniences in Thanaweyya Amma exams

Education Ministry promises adjustments after inconveniences in Thanaweyya Amma exams

Education Ministry promises adjustments after inconveniences in Thanaweyya Amma exams

Over 650,000 students across Egypt started their school leaving exams (Thanaweyya Amma) on Sunday, amid heightened precautionary measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). However, reports and photographs of overcrowding were circulated on social media, showing large gatherings of parents and students in front of schools.

Minister of Education Tarek Shawky pledged to solve the issues that were seen on the first day of the Thanaweyya Amma exams, by implementing new procedures starting from the second day of exams on Thursday.

According to a press statement on Sunday, Shawky noted that the Ministry of Education had observed violations at a total of 20 schools out of the 2,216 where exams were taking place.

Shawky criticised the students for gathering together, and described their behaviour as lacking commitment to social distancing measures before and after the exam. The minister appealed to parents to set a good example to students.

However, some students told Daily News Egypt that there was a lack of organisation and commitment to precautionary measures at the exam venues from the school managements themselves. Some voiced concerns about the overcrowding in front of schools, with little done by