thannawiya amma

If you check out my archive, you'll find blogs about the (terrible) education system in Egypt. Rather than repeating what I already said, I want to add something I just read yesterday in the Cairo Magazine from Juy 14-20, Issue 17.

"The thannawiya amma (secondary school examination) system has been heavily criticized for its rigidity as well as the pressure it puts on families. Difficult examinations and disappointing results have been known to cause waves of depression every year in July, as well as many suicides..." [FYI, this exam is the end-all be-all for kids. It literally determines what your future career and social status will be.]
..."major complaints this year were from algebra, physics and fine arts exams. One irate father submitted a complaint against the minister of education to the police, accusing him of including questions that were outside the curriculum and posed incorrectly, thereby harming his son's psychological state during the test..."
And here's the kicker:
"...The fine arts exam drew criticism when it was revealed that one of the questions asked students to draw a picture in praise of President Hosni Mubarak."

Ha! Can you IMAGINE? On the most important educational day of one's life, he is evaluated on his ability to draw a picture of praise for the President! Can you imagine what would happen in America if we were required to draw a picture of praise for President Bush in order to get into college? Goodness...