Hundreds of General Secondary School students protested Thursday outside the Education Ministry headquarters in different governorates, including Minya, Sharqiya and Cairo, against the recently added grades for attendance and discipline.
The students threatened to strike if the ministry does not cancel the decision.
Protesters used tambourines and chanted slogans condemning the decision while security forced the students to move their demonstration to one of the side doors of the ministry in Cairo.
Under Secretary of the Education Ministry in Sharqiya Mohamed Hossam said the decision aims to protect students from the "mafia of teachers who give students special lessons outside schools."
Students chanted slogans against Education Minister al-Helaly al-Shirbiny, who previously announced that his decision to add the marks was final.
Shirbiny said in earlier statements that the measure was given a green light by the presidency and student unions.
He explained that, as part of the new grades, students will get between five and seven extra marks for attending between 85-100 percent of classes throughout the school year. Three other behavioral assessment marks are to be granted based on a student’s commitment to the school’s bylaws.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
