The Ministry of Education and Technical Education issued directives today to education directorates across Egypt, urging them to take into consideration dates of Christian feasts when setting the schedule for mid-year examinations in 2023. Accordingly, the Ministry stressed that it is not allowed to hold any exams on 7 January—Coptic Christmas—or the following day 8 January, out of respect for the Christian feast. The Ministry of Education pointed out that directorates of education across Egypt are to begin the exams schedule not earlier than 9 January 2023.
The Ministry of Education decision came in the wake of news published by Watani to the effect that the Sharqiya governorate had scheduled exams on 8 January, the day directly following Coptic Christmas. Watani commented that this would deprive Copts from celebrating Christmas, and would put pressure on Coptic children and parents on their feast day.
It later turned out that Assiut had also scheduled an exam on 4 January, thus violating the dates previously set by the Ministry.
Following the Ministry’s decision of today, the dates were revised.
Watani International
14 December 2022