High school students could be attacked by hoodlums and exam papers stolen. Al-Ahram Weekly reports on a thanaweya amma year more difficult than the rest The thanaweya amma, or secondary school certificate, has always been a tough year owing to the importance of scores that can get a student into a good university and faculty. But this year's thanaweya amma has become even more difficult due to the lack of security measures, reports Reem Leila. This year, 700,000 students will sit for the examinations, the start of which is worrisome in itself for both parents and students. The exams will start on Saturday and accordingly, newspapers are focussing on the fear that might be caused by thugs, and the security measures taken by the Education Ministry to protect students as well as exam papers. Thuggery has been rampant across Egypt in the wake of the revolution. Police, who were lashed by the public for the killing of unarmed protesters during the height of the uprising, have yet to return to their posts in full force. Newspapers reported that Minister of Education Ahmed Gamaleddin Moussa launched a campaign last week to call on people to protect thanaweya amma students while sitting for their exams. The campaign, launched under the slogan "People must protect thanaweya amma exams" aims at congregating groups of people to protect schools where the exams will be conducted. Reda Abu Serie, deputy minister of education, said the ministry had taken precautions to safeguard the exams as well as the students. "We are not going to fully depend only on people to fulfil this serious mission. The minister's call was just a suggestion and an extra effort, but it cannot be an alternative," said Abu Serie. The minister's call was welcomed by many Facebook youths who created a site to call on everyone to participate in protecting students and exams but many parents panicked. Omnia Ahmed, a mother of thanaweya amma twins, could not believe the minister's actions. "I cannot understand what is going on. Are we supposed to protect our children from thugs? Where is the police, where is the army? It's not enough we're panicking? Instead of assuring us, they're making us more worried," argued Ahmed. Ahmed's concerns were echoed by another parent Mohamed Qotri. "Am I supposed to leave my work every day for almost three weeks to accompany my girl to her exam, then wait for her outside the school to pick her up? This is absurd." Salwa El-Amri, the parent of a boy who will sit for thanaweya amma exams, says thugs and gangsters "could attack us, the parents, as well. We might not be able to protect our children. The ministry, the government and all concerned authorities must perform their role properly. They have the know-how, we don't," said El-Amri. But Ihsan Abdel-Fattah, the mother of a girl who will sit for the exams, agrees with the minister's call. "I am willing to participate along with my husband in protecting my daughter. Thanaweya amma students will finish during the first week of July so it's just a matter of a few weeks," said Abdel-Fattah, while maintaining that it was better for her to protect her daughter by herself. "This will assure me more instead of being worried until she returns home." Also in accord was Mona Ammar, a mother of a thanaweya amma girl. "The army and police alone might not be able to protect all of the country's schools where exams will be held. It's our duty to help them. We are protecting our own children, not anybody else's," Ammar said. Abu Serie said the ministry had coordinated its efforts with the Ministry of Interior and Armed Forces to apply all security measures. "Military planes will transfer the exams to remote governorates, whereas the Ministry of Interior will move the papers within governorates of Greater Cairo," explained Abu Serie. Exam papers will then be placed in steel lockers. On the morning of each exam, the test papers will be opened. On 7 June military planes started transferring the first three exams to remote governorates. "The rest are to be moved in their order," said Abu Serie. Comfortable residences have been provided for supervisors coming from other governorates to monitor the exams. These residences, according to Abu Serie, have been highly secured in order to guarantee their safety and protect them against any possible attack from thugs. According to Abu Serie, there will be heavy security around schools which will hold exams. Supervisors and answer sheets will be protected by both the Armed Forces and police officers. "The ministry is intensifying its security measures this year because it is not an ordinary year. Accordingly, if people want to participate they are more than welcome, but they are not the main pillar in our security plan." By Reem Leila
