A total of 75.7 percent of Egyptian high school students passed this year's thanweya amma exams, the education minister announced on Sunday.
El-Hilali El-Sherbeeni said that the percentage was lower than that achieved in last year’s exams, at 79.4 percent.
Thanaweya amma students must take highly competitive exams in a number of subjects at the end of their final year of school. The marks scored determine what subjects students will be able to study at university.
A total of 483,366 students sat for the exams in July, out of 560,533 who had registered to do so.
El-Sherbeeni said 93 students--residents of different governorates--were ranked top scorers in their exams, but no student achieved a perfect score.
According to the minister, 15.8 percent of students who sat for the exams were able to score between 95-100 percent, while 18.07 percent were able to achieve 90-95 percent.
Scoring slightly lower, 16.77 percent of pupils obtained 85-90 percent while 15.21 percent achieved 80-85 percent, 12.94 percent scored 75-80 percent, and 8.5 percent got 70-75 percent.
The education minister also announced that 117,187 students had failed to pass their exams, and would re-sit them.
This year's exam period saw controversy after a series of leaks of exam papers on social media.
Following the leaks of several subject papers, including religion and math, the education minister decided to cancel those exams, prompting protests by groups of students in a number of different governorates.
The students were dispersed by the police using teargas, and some were arrested.
The ministry said that it took unprecedented decisions to counter the exam leaks, announcing it has referred 105 students to general prosecution for “violations”.
Last week, El-Sherbeeni said that for the first time in the history of the thanaweya amma exams, glasses and watches with wireless technology were used for cheating, adding that some students used ear pieces to aid their cheating attempts.
Following the leaks, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that they would not be repeated next year, adding that the country was currently reconsidering the system of high school exams.
