JEDDAH, 25 May — About five million Saudi male and female students will sit their final examinations at schools and colleges throughout the Kingdom from today.
The Education Ministry and other government departments have completed preparations for the smooth running of the examinations.
Dr. Abdul Khaliq Al-Khalaf, director of examinations at the ministry, said the students sitting examinations include more than 2.5 million boys in over 13,000 schools. He added that the ministry was using advanced computer systems to mark the answer papers. A total of 3,000 teachers have been appointed for the job.
Al-Riyadh Arabic newspaper reported yesterday, quoting a high-level source, that the ministry was forced to send replacements after a number of question papers for secondary boys’ schools were leaked.
Meanwhile, Brig. Abdul Rahman Al-Muqbil, director of traffic in Riyadh, has warned students against joy riding to celebrate the end of the examinations.
“We have received clear instructions from the governor to bring an end to this negative phenomenon and we will not show any leniency toward the offenders,” he said in a press statement.
Al-Muqbil urged parents to keep a watch on their children and ensure they return home immediately after the examinations.
The department has made arrangements to ensure the smooth flow of traffic throughout the country during the examination period.
