A newly-adopted high school grading system, which measures students’ commitment to attendance and good behavior were coordinated in advance with the presidency, the Education Ministry said, following mass protests by students condemning the new measure.
Minister al-Helaly al-Sherbiny said his decision had not been met with any objections from either the presidency’s advisory board or Egypt’s student unions, with whom he had discussed the new grading scale.
Sherbiny told newspapers on Sunday that students will get between five and seven extra marks for attending 85-100 percent of classes throughout the school year.
Three other behavioral assessment marks will be granted based on a student’s commitment to school regulations.
The new grading scale sparked protests by dozens of students outside the ministry’s headquarters on Sunday.
"That decision is a failure”, “no to the 10 marks”, read signs hoisted by protesting students who threatened to boycott school should the ministry proceed with the new measure.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
