HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS KICK OFF IN THE WEST BANK, GAZA STRIP

Bethlehem, 12 Sya’ban 1436/30 May 2015 (MINA) – Nearly 81,000 Palestinian students sat for the first session of their high school exams seeking to obtain the General Secondary Certificate, or Tawjihi, across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Saturday (30/5).

Saturday’s exams will begin with the Islamic education exam, and will run until June 17 to cover all other subjects, the Palestinian Ministry of Education said, Ma’an News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Last year around 86,000 students took part in exams, 53 percent of which were female and the remainder male.

The Tawjihi certificate is equivalent to a high school completion certificate, and is required for students who wish to pursue undergraduate studies. In Palestine and other Arab countries, the score on the test determines which programs a student can enter, generating high levels of stress among the student populations.

Coordination has been made with the Ministry of Interior to deploy police officers near exam halls and correction centers, and the Ministry of Health has also been contacted to be prepared for any emergencies. (T/P006/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)