RIYADH — Despite requests by parents to close schools before the advent of Ramadan (May 27), the Ministry of Education remains firm on its decision that final term examinations will begin on Ramadan 9 (June 4) and schools will close for summer vacation on Ramadan 24 (June 19). In 10 years, this is the first time schools will remain open in Ramadan. For the past 10 years school year used to end before the beginning of the fasting month. Under the ministry's schedule, summer vacation for students and teachers of intermediate and secondary schools will begin on Ramadan 24 after students finish their examinations while the vacation of elementary schools will begin on Ramadan 13 (June 8). A number of parents urged the ministry through social media to shorten the remaining weeks of the academic year and hold examinations before the fasting month. Some of them asked the ministry to schedule the examinations from 7 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. The ministry, however, exempted schools in the southern region from this decision and decided to finish academic year before the advent of Ramadan. It said that academic year for schools in the southern region will end on Shaban 29 (May 25) which is the date for the start of summer vacation. As many as 70.69 percent of parents in a survey objected to the ministry's decision saying it was not at all appropriate that the studies and examinations would be held during the fasting month. Only about 17.24 of the surveyed parents agreed with the ministry's decision. About 12.07 believed that the ministry's schedule was to some extent acceptable.
