Is the 'Developed Tawjihi' suitable for the requirements of Arab universities?

And from here, the most important question arises: Does what some Egyptian educational authorities have requested represent an evaluation of the outputs of the 'Developed Tawjihi', or is it a regulatory requirement related to the nature of certain majors and the conditions for admission to them in Egyptian universities?

Educational expert Faisal Tayeh believes that 'each country has its own educational and academic system and legislation, including the conditions for transitioning from secondary to university education, and therefore the difference in admission conditions between one country and another does not necessarily mean a depreciation of the value of the certificate or a judgment on the level of the educational system from which it originated'.

He says in an interview with 'Al-Rai' that the requirement of a supplementary science subject, whether it is related to physics for those wishing to pursue certain medical and health tracks, or other scientific subjects linked to engineering, technological, and artificial intelligence majors, 'should be read in its academic context, as a requirement related to the nature of the specialization and the university program, and not as a judgment on the Developed Tawjihi or on the Jordanian student'.

He points out that the most important question for students is the actual impact of this condition: 'Does it prevent the student from enrolling? Does it delay their studies? Does it require them to retake an entire year? Or can it be fulfilled in parallel with university studies?'.

He adds that 'there is a difference between a student not being qualified for admission and being accepted but required to complete a specific academic requirement, and clarifying this point is what should top the discussion instead of just circulating the phrase 'supplementary material'.

Tayeh emphasizes that the transition of a student between two different educational systems may result in a variation in the distribution of subjects and academic hours or the level of specialization in them, which is a common occurrence in higher education systems, and may lead to the request to study a specific subject or pass a level test, without implying that the original certificate is not recognized.

He cites the Jordanian experience, saying that universities themselves use level tests and remedial subjects in a number of subjects, including Arabic, English, and computer science, 'and this does not mean that the student's secondary certificate is not recognized, but the procedure is to ensure that the student has the necessary requirements to start university studies'.

He believes that dealing with the transition of students between educational systems should not be based solely on the name of the certificate, explaining that 'judging what a student possesses in terms of knowledge and competencies requires looking at the curriculum, learning outcomes, and assessment mechanisms, not the general impression of the system'.

He stresses that Jordanian coordination with educational authorities in other countries has become a necessity with the start of the transition of graduates of the developed system to foreign universities, noting that providing curriculum plans, academic descriptions, and learning outcomes 'helps to reach clearer understandings and prevents imposing on the student requirements that may already be covered under the system from which they graduated'.

Regarding the talk about the marginalization of scientific subjects in the 'Developed Tawjihi', Tayeh rejects this description, affirming that 'the system was not based on canceling science, but on reorganizing the educational and evaluative process and distributing subjects within more specialized tracks'.

He adds that the absence of a subject in the general exam in the same way it was used in the traditional system does not mean that the student did not study it or did not deal with its concepts, and that changing the assessment tools does not automatically mean lowering the level of scientific content.

He says that educational reform does not mean that foreign universities will treat the new outputs in the same way from the first day, and that the emergence of an academic requirement in another country does not mean that the Jordanian reform was a mistake.

Tayeh links the issue to the choices of students in higher education, especially in medical, engineering, and technological majors, which push a number of them to study outside the Kingdom.

He says that expanding the capacity of Jordanian universities and the multiplicity of programs and specializations provides broader national options for students, emphasizing that the goal is not to prevent studying abroad, but to 'build a university system capable of accommodating students and providing attractive options within the Kingdom, which alleviates the financial and social burdens on families'.

He warns that leaving technical details in a gray area opens the door to rumors, and in education issues, rumors can affect a student's and a family's decision about an entire future.

He stresses that the responsibility lies with the educational and official authorities to provide clear information about the nature of the Developed Tawjihi and its outputs to students, parents, and foreign educational institutions alike.