Parents polled on proposed new high school system

CAIRO – 4 June 2017: Minister of Education Tarek Shawki is polling parents on social media for their opinions on the proposed new high school system.

The minister offered the "new secondary system" and the "new admissions system in universities" for discussion and evaluation. He said the planned system is still a "suggestion" which requires further discussion.

The Ministry of Education had announced earlier plans to cancel the current high school system, Thanaweya Amma, and replace it with a new “booklet system,” which was first introduced in January.

“Implementing the booklet system this year is a temporary solution to eliminate electronic cheating until a new system that measures the student’s understanding rather than memorization is in place,” Shawki said last week.

Shawki proposed a new system to President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in June 2016, as chief of the specialist Advisory Board of Education to the presidency. The plan includes a 12-year program that starts with the enrollment of 2018’s primary school class.

“The new system does not depend on memorization and applies a modern evaluation system,” Shawki said, adding that it will require effort in all aspects, including teacher training.