End-of-term exams originally scheduled for 6 and 8 January will be shifted to allow Coptic Orthodox Christians to celebrate Christmas, the Supreme Council of Universities said Saturday. The announcement follows a request by the Coptic Church. Salwa al-Gharib, secretary general for the council, said the instructions have been given to all university presidents. This means some faculties will change exam schedules they have already announced. Last week, the Coptic Orthodox Church urged Minister of Higher Education Hani Helal to cancel university exams scheduled for 8 January, the day after Coptic Christmas, a Coptic bishop said. The bishop, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Pope Shenouda III received several complaints from students whose 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 government had advised that Christmas celebrations--which run from 6-13 January--be considered when drawing up exam schedules, universities had insisted on holding exams around this period. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
