Ministry of Education declares 14-week study plan conclusion

• Sources recommended that the Ministry of Education’s education sector review the upcoming calendar for this stage, focusing on the absence of semester exams. They highlighted that the second semester of the primary stage had approximately 95 study days, excluding weekly holidays.

From next Thursday, May 9, marking the curriculum plan’s end for primary schools, until June 6, the official end for primary students, schools will navigate a month of uncertainty. This period will blur the lines between attendance and non-attendance. Moreover, if students attend, what measures will ensure their class coverage and presence in schools? These ambiguities highlight the significant gap caused by ministerial decisions on curriculum and academic year endpoints, resulting in an educational void.

The Ministry of Education has designated the 9th of this month as the conclusion of the study plan in primary schools, following the approved 14-week schedule.

This comes after the short exam period scheduled for this week. However, according to the official calendar, June 6 has been approved as the students’ last day, creating a 28-day difference. This gap makes this academic year one of the shortest globally.

The grey days in the primary stage’s study plan, spanning approximately one month, have presented challenges in education. Notably, the rise of absenteeism during the second semester, particularly around official holidays and during Ramadan, adds to these challenges.

In response to this situation, these sources urged the ministry’s education sector to review the upcoming calendar for this stage, particularly the absence of semester exams. They pointed out that “the actual study days in the second semester of the primary stage totaled about 95 days, excluding weekly holidays.”

This brings attention to the issue of absences during Ramadan and around vacations.

They emphasized the importance of extending the first semester of this stage until January 1, highlighting its brevity and the students’ vacation period of six to eight weeks during that time.

With virtual classes in “distance education” comprising about 60 percent of the academic achievement rate, technical sources highlighted by Al-Rai newspaper, urged the ministry’s education sector to reconsider the upcoming calendar for this stage, notably lacking quarterly tests. They emphasized that “the technical guidance considered the issue of absences and frequent vacations, leading to the suspension of some lessons at the year’s start to prevent time constraints in implementing the study plan.”

These sources stressed “the necessity of extending the first semester until January 1 due to its brevity, with students having a vacation period of six to eight weeks.” They also advocated for “the implementation of semester tests for fifth-grade students, as mandated by a ministerial decision suspended during the pandemic. Tests play a crucial role in assessing students accurately, benefiting both students and educational institutions alike.”

Six advantages of fifth-grade tests

An educational report revealed the importance of implementing tests in the fifth grade for various reasons, the most important of which are.

1. One of the evaluation methods that measure the level of learners’ achievement.
2. A means of measuring the success of academic subjects and detecting strengths and weaknesses in academic courses.
3. It helps in identifying individual differences in students and preparing remedial plans.
4. It increases the guardian’s interaction, interest, and participation in the educational process.
5. Canceling it creates a gap with the final exams in the sixth grade.
6. It enhances learners’ self-confidence and gives them the motivation to study.

Return of tests for fifth-grade students

The report suggested the return of tests for fifth-grade students based on the following items.

1. Continuation of achievement evaluation through assessment papers, with a grading scale of 60 points.
2. Assessment tests and achievement tests are conducted every four weeks.
3. The final exam score accounts for 40 points.