Ain Shams University exams to be held early May

Final exams at Ain Shams University are scheduled to start on May 3 and end on June 24, according to a controversial decision by the university’s Council of Deans, state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper reported Sunday. 

Last week, the Supreme Council of Universities requested that universities across Egypt schedule their final exams to end by June 26. The council also stipulated that universities take a break on May 26–27, when the presidential elections are scheduled to take place.

The semester started on March 8, two weeks after the intended February 22 date. Minister of Education Mahmoud Abul Nasr said this was due to security reasons.

Ain Shams University announced that May 24–30 would be holiday, and that the final results of exams would be announced before June 31.

The deans’ council called on security forces to protect the university’s facilities and personnel during the exam period. 

Last week, Cairo University’s Council of Deans also decided that written exams would start on May 17, whereas oral and practical exams would begin on May 3. The university will take a break between May 23 and 30.

University protests have been escalating since September. Campuses have been sites of intense clashes between security forces and protesting students following the July 3, 2013 removal of former President Mohamed Morsi. Many students have been injured and several have died as a result of the violence, most recently including two Al-Azhar student fatalities late last month.

Earlier this month, three bombs exploded outside Cairo University, killing a police officer. Shortly afterwards, Cairo University’s administration announced that it had decided police forces should be brought onto campuses to maintain security.

Students in universities in other governorates, such as Kafr al-Sheikh and Beni Suef, have been staging protests against the Supreme Council of Universities’ decision, calling for the exams to be held at the end of May due to the late start of the semester.

Al-Azhar University announced they would decide on an exam schedule this week.