CAIRO: A campaign called “No attendance record for Third Secondary school students” has recently launched a Facebook page demanding the annullment of a decision that will oblige high school students to attend classes.
Many high school (known in Arabic as Thanaweya Amma) students often skip school during this year to study and attend private lessons, which they prefer over school teaching.
But two weeks ago, they began signing in electronically at schools as a strict attendance policy took effect; schools will deduct 10-point grades of their final scores over missing class days.
Thanaweya Amma is the Egyptian secondary education system, which students consider as their gateway to future universities. During this year, only scores that students garner from final standard exams are the only determiner in which college they will enroll.
Before the 10-grade decision, there were no rules to oblige students to attend classes, which led to low attendance at schools, Ashraf Fadaly, the head of the Egyptian Organization for Education, previously told The Cairo Post.
Since its application, students have mounted daily protests in different governorates demanding the cancellation of the “unsuccessful” decision, and the resignation of the minister.
The Cairo Post interviewed some high school students, who were protesting outside the Press Syndicate, where they described how the decision will reduce their study time on this “decisive year.”
“If I attended school, then I would only have two hours per day to study, how come we study only two hours in Thanaweya Amma?!” Ahmed Mohamed, a student at Al-Saaedeya School, told The Cairo Post.
Dozens of high school students protested Thursday outside the Press Syndicate – YOUM7
The campaign’s Facebook page, which has collected over 16,000 followers thus far, satirically explained the day routine of the high school student saying:
“I go to school at 8 am
I come back at 12 pm
I go to private lesson at 12:50
I finish the lesson at 3
I start another lesson at 3:30
I go back home at 7 pm
Then, I will study what I was taught today, do homework, study for the quiz and go to bed early so I start fresh in the morning for a new day.”
The page announced it is planning to mount campaigns on pages and wesbites that belong to officials to spread their word, according to a Thursday post.
The page posted several pictures of protesting students during sit-ins inside schools and education directorates.
High school students protesting in Orman School in Giza, Courtesy of Facebook page
On Oct. 26, the Administrative Judiciary Court will consider an urgent lawsuit submitted by high school students against the attendance decision.
In their complaint, as quoted by Youm7, the students said that the decision obliges them to attend school while teachers do not fulfill their job in teaching, which prompt them to seek private lessons.
The facebook page has urged students to invite their colleagues to join the page and reiterate the demands.
A campaign called “Object” was reportedly launched by high school students aiming to register opposition to the attendance record decision and to collect signatures from fellows to support their position.