Egypt's Education Minister Tarek Shawky announced on Tuesday the cancellation of the Primary Education Certificate, part of his plan to reform the nation's primary education system, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

At a press conference in Cairo, Shawky said the ministry had decided to consider the 6th Grade of primary school as a normal school year, cancelling the certificate that is normally gained at this point.

He said that the final exams for the 6th Grade would be marked by teachers from outside the schools to ensure the "seriousness of those exams".

Egypt's primary school stage lasts six-years and is followed by a three-year preparatory stage, after which students begin their secondary education.

The minister also revealed in the press conference that a new secondary education system would replace the traditional Thanaweya Amma system, starting from the school year 2018-19.

"Your children are not lab rats. The secondary stage bogeyman is finished," he said.

Shawky said the new secondary school system would be based upon the Grade Point Average (GPA) system.  

The new system would involve two types of evaluation, said Shawky. The first would be based on school coursework, while the second would consist of multi-choice questions that would be electronically marked.

In July, during the Fourth National Youth Conference, Shawky announced that a new secondary stage would be implemented after testing.

He also discussed the ministry's programme to establish special schools for outstanding students, and the government's national school-building programme, including partnerships with the private sector.