Egypt’s Ministry of Education has cancelled end-of-year exams for preparatory-grade students in North Sinai schools and approved the transferrence of first semester test results to constitute students' final aggregate grade for academic year 2018/2018.

Minister of Education Tarek Shawki approved the exceptional decision, which was announced Tuesday, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

The second semester in North Sinai schools has now been cancelled, according to the ministry.

Ahmed Khairy, spokesman for the Ministry of Education, said that the decision comes out of the ministry’s concern for the future of students in North Sinai governorate.

The Egyptian Armed Forces launched comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018 on 9 February in north and central Sinai and other parts of the country, aiming to exterminate terrorist groups active in those areas.