Educational expert: The 'Education Law' distinguishes between 'secondary' and the general study certificate

With the entry into force of the Education and Human Resources Development Law No. (13) of 2026, the discussion about the 'Tawjihi' is no longer only about the exam, but about understanding the new map of the secondary stage, its boundaries, and the paths that students will take during it.

Among established educational memory terms and others imposed by the new law, the tenth grade stands out as the clearest turning point in the new school structure.

For his part, educational expert Faisal Tayeh says that understanding the new system starts with the order of educational stages, before moving on to the details of exams, subjects, and fields, explaining that Article (11) of the law divided education into four stages: early education, intermediate education, secondary education, and higher education.

He adds, in an explanation to Al-Rai, that the early education stage includes kindergarten and grades one to three, intermediate education from four to nine, while the secondary stage starts from the tenth grade and extends to the twelfth grade, and includes both academic and technical and vocational paths.

Tayeh points out that this amendment redefines the position of the tenth grade, as it was previously the end of basic education, but according to the new law, it is the beginning of the secondary stage, without affecting its status as part of the mandatory and free education years that extend to the tenth grade.

He believes that this point specifically explains part of the confusion that accompanied the talk about 'secondary becoming three years', clarifying that what is meant is three years for the secondary stage, not three years for the general exam.

He says: 'We want three years for the student, not three years for the Tawjihi', explaining that the three years should be a space for learning, building knowledge, discovering inclinations, and determining the path, not an extension of exam anxiety.

In this context, Tayeh points out that the law distinguishes between the secondary stage and the general secondary study certificate and the general exam; the student completes the secondary stage with school success in the twelfth grade and obtains his certificate, while the general exam is linked to the requirements for admission to higher education institutions.

According to the formula being worked on by the Ministry, the general exam does not turn into an exam that lasts throughout the three years, but is completed during the secondary stage, as the student in the eleventh grade takes four common subjects, then completes the specialization subjects in the twelfth grade, to form the final mark according to the accepted requirements for university admission.

Tayeh emphasizes that these details should be read in their executive context, as the law determined the function of the general exam and its relationship to university admission, while Article (27) referred the procedures for its organization to the instructions issued for this purpose, including subjects, application mechanisms, and other details.

In contrast, school success in the twelfth grade gains independent importance, as the student obtains the secondary study certificate in the academic, technical, and vocational track, allowing him multiple options after school.

Tayeh believes that this aspect represents an important shift in the philosophy of secondary education, because the student's future is no longer supposed to be linked to the university alone; the certificate holder can head to the labor market, while those who wish to pursue higher education continue their path according to the requirements of admission and the general exam.

He considers that the goal of rebuilding the secondary stage is to give the student a wider space for choice, so that the school years are not just a waiting period for a final exam, but a period for building an educational and professional path that suits his abilities and inclinations.

Regarding fields and paths, Tayeh explains that ending the traditional division between 'scientific and literary' does not mean canceling the specialization, but reorganizing it in a more flexible way, allowing the student to choose subjects and paths that suit his future direction and the specialization he wishes to study.

He adds that this vision requires the student to start thinking about his future earlier, instead of postponing the decision to the end of the school stage, and it requires the school and family to provide sufficient guidance to help him in the choice.

However, the transition to the new system does not happen all at once, according to Tayeh, as Article (28) of the law kept the systems, instructions, and decisions issued under the previous law in force until they are amended, canceled, or replaced in accordance with the new law.

He explains that this continues the appearance of some terms or procedures associated with the previous system during the transition phase, confirming that this does not necessarily mean a contradiction, but reflects the transition of the educational system from one legal framework to another.

Tayeh stresses that the main challenge in the coming phase is to convey the new image in a clear and unified language to students, parents, and teachers, so that differences in terminology do not become a source of concern or misunderstanding.

He emphasizes that educational reform is not successful with legal text alone, but with the ability of the educational field and society to understand what has changed and how it will affect the student.

Tayeh explains the idea: 'Three years for the student... not three years for the Tawjihi'; three years starting from the tenth grade, extending to the eleventh and twelfth, giving the student a wider opportunity to learn and choose a path, before determining his way to the labor market or higher education.

According to Tayeh, the law has drawn the new map, while the responsibility of the coming phase is to make this map clear and understandable to the student, family, school, and society.