The Coptic Orthodox Church has urged Minister of Higher Education Hani Helal to cancel university exams scheduled for 8 January, the day following Coptic Christmas celebrations, a Coptic bishop said. The bishop said Pope Shenouda III received several complaints from Egyptian students whose end-of-term exams begin on 8 January. The students said requests for a schedule change were disregarded by university officials. Naguib Gobrail, head of the Egyptian Federation for Human Rights, said even though the Egyptian government advised universities to take into consideration Christmas celebrations--which run from 6-13 January--when drawing up their exam schedules, universities are insisting on holding exams around this period. Gobrail said his organization has received several complaints from Coptic students who prefer an amendment to the exam timetabling in order to celebrate Christmas.
