One-session Tawjihi postponed until 2017 — lawmaker

AMMAN — The General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) will be held once every academic year starting in 2017, not 2016, according to the latest decision approved by the Education Council.

Earlier this month, the council decided to hold one Tawjihi examination session every year, instead of two, starting from the 2016-17 academic year, a move that sparked controversy and disapproval among teachers, parents and students.

In order to “mitigate” the street’s reaction to the decision, the council postponed applying the new system until 2017, while making a few changes to the exam, according to MP Mohammad Al Haj, head of the Lower House Educational Committee.

“We were furious when the council first came out with its decision on the Tawjihi, particularly as Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat did not consult with any of the stakeholders,” he told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

“However, after summoning the minister to a special session with the committee members and listening to his say on the issue, we realised that the ministry is right about the feasibility of holding one Tawjihi session a year for students, teachers and the government,” Haj added.

In earlier remarks, Thneibat said holding one Tawjihi session per year will have a positive impact on students since they will be tested in fewer courses.

Students will be tested for some courses only at their schools, while fewer subjects will be counted in the Tawjihi score, Thneibat explained.

The two-session examination system costs the ministry around JD25 million, with each session requiring over four-and-a-half months of preparation.

“During our meeting with Thneibat, we agreed on certain changes in order for the new system to succeed, including reducing the number of subjects students should be tested in and revisiting the materials themselves to eliminate the burden on students and teachers,” the MP said.

Haj added that public dismay over the decision and the modifications that need to be introduced to the Tawjihi curricula prompted the ministry to postpone the application of the new system until 2017.

He noted that the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) is also satisfied with two-year postponement.

The Jordan Times could not reach officials at the JTA for comment on the issue. 

Before the decision to delay the implementation of the new Tawjihi system, JTA Spokesperson Ayman Okour expressed the syndicate’s disapproval of the one-examination session per academic year, as it would “increase anxiety, fear and burden on students, their parents and educators”.

The National Campaign for Defending Students’ Rights (Thabahtoona) advised against the decision, saying that it contradicts efforts to develop the educational system.

A Thabahtoona statement said the one-examination system was applied for two years, but proved a “failure” as it resulted in students delaying their studies until the end of the academic year.

In addition, the campaign claimed that the decision “paves the way for cancelling the Tawjihi as a reference for university acceptance and enabling universities to hold their own tests”.

“This would result in deepening corruption and wasta [favouritism] at universities,” Thabahtoona said.