On Saturday, approximately 659,253 students began the Thanaweya Amma High-School exams across Egypt. These exams are scheduled to end on July 3, with students on Saturday starting off with the Arabic language examinations.
On Friday, the Ministry of Education raised the maximum level of preparedness for the exams.
Education Minister Tarek Shawqi said that this number is the largest number of students taking high school exams in the whole region, and even globally, in recent years.
Shawki added that his ministry cooperated with relevant ministries to accomplish the exams comfortably for the students. He specified that the Ministry of Communications is monitoring electronic cheating pages, while the Ministry of Interior carries out security process by deploying rapid intervention forces next to schools and the riot police.
The Ministry of Health has organized mobile medical convoys to provide medical service for students, with ambulances are located next to the schools.
The Ministry of Education issued instructions to advise students against possession of mobile phones, even turned off, or any other technological devices that would facilitate cheating.
The Ministry added in a statement that printing, publishing, broadcasting, or promoting examination questions or answers will be subject to imprisonment for a period of not less than two years and a fine of not less than LE100,000.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
