Egypt's Education Minister Tarek Shawki has said that final year exams for third preparatory grade students have been cancelled and replaced with a research paper, to be prepared by students from the curricula studied in each course until 15 March, when schools were suspended nationwide due to the coronavirus. In televised statements broadcasted on Thursday, Shawki said that all students will be awarded the full mark for the second term, subject to succeeding in their research, and that their final grades will be an average of marks for both terms. Scores determine if the student will proceed to the secondary stage or switch to a technical study track. The minister also announced that thanaweya amma (third year of secondary school) students will take their final year exams as scheduled in schools in June, also on the curricula studied until 15 March. “Third secondary grade students will take the final year exams as scheduled in June at school, with full consideration for health precautions and cooperation with all entitled state authorities to protect students,” he added. Every year, nearly 600,000 high school students take the highly competitive thanaweya amma exams in a number of subjects. Scores in the exams determine whether students can attend university and which institution and subject they are eligible for. Shawki gave his statements to announce the ministry's upcoming plans, given the current closure of schools and universities. “Egyptian pupils from third primary to second preparatory will not take final year exams this term but will instead prepare an online research paper for every course and submit it from curricula studied until 15 March,” the minister announced. "The students in these grades [third primary to second preparatory] will be able to contact class teachers via the ministry's electronic platform for every course for assistance to prepare research,” Shawki said. Students in the first secondary grade will take online exams at home on 5 April covering curricula studied until 15 March. The second secondary grade will also take their final year tests online covering curricula studied until 15 March.
