Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Azmi Mahafzah said Sunday that the new General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi) examination system is subject to continuous evaluation.
Speaking to Al Mamlaka, Mahafzah said this is the first year in which the new system has been fully implemented, following 12th-grade students’ completion of the second part of the examination.
He explained that the system initially included six academic streams, which were reduced to four after the ministry found that most students were choosing combinations spanning more than one stream. The ministry subsequently decided, through the Education Council, to limit the system to four streams.
Under the new system, secondary school students choose the fields of study they wish to pursue at university and take the Tawjihi examination over two years. The 11th grade accounts for 30% of the total mark through four subjects, while the 12th grade accounts for 70% through four specialized subjects, as these determine the student’s academic field or university specialization.
Human Capital Development
Regarding the ministry’s plans for human capital development, Mahafzah said the ministry is responsible for preparing and developing human resources to meet labor-market needs.
He said this is reflected in the secondary education system through its focus on academic streams, as well as in university admissions, higher education and the vocational and technical specializations that the ministry has begun emphasizing.
The ministry develops policies and coordinates them with universities and schools to ensure that education meets labor-market needs, he said, adding that human capital development is an important part of the ministry’s work.
Mahafzah said the ministry is preparing for a major new restructuring aimed at equipping its staff to carry out these new responsibilities.
As part of its human resources development efforts, the ministry trained approximately 12,000 teachers last year.
It plans to train 16,000 teachers this year, with training for all Ministry of Education teachers to continue over approximately the next three years.
He said these measures are intended to prepare future generations and implement the ministry’s policies through both academic and vocational education.
The ministry is pursuing a similar approach at the university level by strengthening academic autonomy and encouraging a shift toward future-oriented specializations that will be in demand.
65.3% Overall Tawjihi Pass Rate
The overall pass rate in the 2026 Tawjihi examination reached 65.3%, according to Mohammad Shehadeh, Director of the Examinations Department at the Ministry of Education.
Shehadeh also announced that 4,481 students achieved an average of 95% or higher in the 2026 General Secondary Education Certificate examination.
Al Mamlaka
