Three-week extension

MINISTER of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar announced during a video-conference with the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) that the mid-year holiday would end on 26 February. During the meeting, the minister agreed with members of the SCU to extend the current academic year three more weeks. The minister alongside SCU members agreed to resume the academic year by adopting the hybrid education system as was the case at the beginning of the year.

According to Abdel-Ghaffar, exams that were postponed in the first semester will start immediately after the end of the mid-year holiday. The second semester will start on 21 March.

Abdel-Ghaffar noted that first term exams will take place on university campuses while adopting all precautionary measures against the Covid-19 virus. Universities which will hold examinations online will remain as such. “Students will sit for bubble sheet exams for theoretical faculties and will not be replaced by research papers. Practical faculties will decide the means of examining their students, each according to the nature of their studies,” the minister said.

Search for boat passengers

RESCUE workers continued their search on Tuesday for at least five people who went missing after a boat carrying 19 people sank a day earlier in Lake Mariout, south of Alexandria. Passengers were reportedly returning from a family trip. While six passengers were rescued on Monday and have been taken to the Amiriya General Hospital for treatment, the bodies of nine others, including three children, were found on Monday.

Alexandria Governor Mohamed Al-Sherif stated late Monday that the boat was small and overcrowded, adding that the exact number of those missing was not yet clear. According to Al-Sherif, the search for others on the boat is ongoing. Relatives spent the night on the shoreline, hoping their loved ones could be rescued or their bodies retrieved. Calls for volunteer divers to help in the search were circulated on social media.

Egyptian-Spanish drills

EGYPTIAN and Spanish naval forces have carried out joint maritime manoeuvres as part of the southern fleet in Egypt’s Red Sea zone, according to a statement from military spokesperson Tamer Al-Refaai on Saturday. The Egyptian frigate Sharm El-Sheikh and the Spanish ESRS Reina Sofia joined the drills which included various training activities. The training is the second of its kind in a short period with the participation of Spanish naval forces that have deep experience in the field. The exercise included specialised drills for surveillance on suspected ships and maritime security procedures. It also saw various sailing formations that showed the ability of the joint maritime units to carry out their tasks accurately. The participants also implemented night transport exercises, and exchanged helicopter landings on marine units. Such joint exercises consolidate bilateral military relations, which in its turn contribute effectively to maintaining security and maritime stability in the region, according to the statement.

TV presenter suspended

THE MEDIA Syndicate on Saturday revoked TV presenter Tamer Amin’s licence to practise the profession on the grounds of violating the media honour charter and the code of professional conduct. The ban was taken against Amin after coming under fire recently for insulting Upper Egyptians on his TV show. The syndicate reaffirmed in a statement its full respect for all Egyptians and Upper Egypt’s citizens in particular. A misdemeanour court will start on 30 March hearing a lawsuit filed against Amin, accusing him of insulting and slandering the people of Upper Egypt and the countryside. In an episode of his talk show on Al-Nahar TV channel last week Thursday, Amin claimed that “families in the countryside and Upper Egypt give birth to many children and do not educate them, but rather employ them in workshops and ship girls to Cairo to work as servants and sometimes in more despicable work.” Following Amin’s controversial comments, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation suspended him and referred him to an investigation. Faced with wide-ranging public anger, Amin issued an apology to Upper Egyptians in a video message. Al-Nahar also voiced in a statement its appreciation of the people of Upper Egypt and rural areas.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 25 February, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly