First day of Tawjihi winter session goes ‘as planned’ — authorities

AMMAN — The first day of the General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) winter session went "smoothly and as planned", officials at the ministries of education and interior said Saturday.

A total of 130,500 students from all streams sat for the session's first test (English) on Saturday, Education Ministry Spokesperson Walid Jallad told The Jordan Times, citing Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat's visit to examination halls at five schools.

"The minister listened to the feedback of students, teachers and parents," Jallad said, adding that students said all questions were within the material in the textbook and have taken into consideration the academic differences among students.

"So far we did not receive any complaints or reported violations," the spokesperson noted. 

The ministry, he added, compiles a daily report on the examinations that take place based on feedback, including the numbers and types of violations if they occur, from its operations rooms across the Kingdom.

Jallad said 161,309 students had registered for the Tawjihi winter session, which concludes on January 11, with around 130,000 exam supervisors at 1,500 examination halls distributed at 480 schools.

Interior Ministry Spokesperson Ziad Zu’bi also said the exam went "smoothly and without major violations". 

Zu'bi said security personnel foiled attempts to storm into some examination halls, highlighting the "close coordination" between the education and interior ministries to reduce the number of Tawjihi violations. 

Jallad highlighted the Education Ministry's efforts to establish equal examination opportunities for students across the Kingdom by taking strict measures in curbing cheating attempts.

Tawjihi is a "make-or-break" exam for secondary school students, as its results determine their future in higher education — at which university they are allowed to enrol and what major to study.