Amid strict preventive measures, 368, 644 students started the second phase of examinations of secondary school yesterday, while accompanied by rising fears of the emergence of cases of swine flu infections among students, with the announcement of the increase in the number of infected cases in Egypt up to 18 cases. Preventative measures ensured the existence of a medical clinic and a doctor in every school, to urgently deal with suspected cases, and some provinces provided doctors in each committee.
The highlight of the first day of examinations was the increase of masks between students; particularly Zamalek schools as this is the neighborhood where the first two cases of swine flu appeared. Meanwhile the Health Ministry announced three new cases in Egypt. They are a woman from Colombia and two others from Canada and the USA, bringing the total number of infected cases to eighteen. At Cairo airport the quarantine authorities deained nine passengers from six flights coming from Arab and European countries. They have been admitted to Alabbasiyah Hospital.
Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceutical company's branch in Egypt declared it would cooperate with the Ministry of Health to provide a vaccine against swine flu, which the mother company said it has discovered. The quantities required are currently being determined so as to provide Egypt with enough of the vaccine. For its part, the Ministry of Social Solidarity does not foresee a decision of reduction in the performance of the Hajj (pilgrimage) through NGOs this year due to swine flu, saying the drawing of lots among the candidates is set for the first of July. According to an informed source the procedures of Hajj and Umrah (minor pilgrimage) will proceed normally "until further notice." The swine flu virus "H1N1" spread to the Arab world, and the number of infected cases has increased in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, where the number of people infected reached eight cases along with Palestine, Canada and Britain. On the other hand, the first day of examinations showed 'protesting students' regarding the questions about the level of the Arabic language, where many complained in some provinces of the difficulty of the questions. A number of female students fainted while students in the provinces of Greater Cairo saw 'no problems' with the test. The Ministry of Education announced in a statement that the test was at the level of the average student.
The security forces of Assiut imposed a security blockade at the gates of schools, to prevent the presence of parents outside the committees, and they controlled cameras near schools through 'secret agents'. A secondary school in Minya saw clashes between parents and security, because the security services prevented parents from seeing their children between the two tests.
For his part, Dr. Reda Obossaria, Assistant Minister of Education and President of the examinations, confirmed that Dr. Yousry El-Gamal, Minister of Education, received a report on the examination paper which declared that the content of the exam questions "covered all aspects of the curriculum, and was balanced considering the scheduled topics."
Obossaria said: "The exam was at the level of the average student, and only 15% of the questions were for outstanding students," pointing out that the time for answers was sufficient.
