West Bank exams begin despite opposition

School children across the West Bank started final exams Sunday despite the ministry of education’s decision to delay them until the end of the month, a union official said. “The teachers’ union insisted on its decision to start finals Sunday, May 19 bypassing the ministry of education’s decision to start finals on May 28,” spokesman Basim Naim told Ma’an. He added that the union started final exams despite the ministry’s threats to punish teachers. The teachers, according to Naim, had only two options; announce an open strike or start final exams at their own responsibility. They chose the second option because the delay would have harmed the educational process, he said. Undersecretary of the ministry of education Muhammad Abu Zeid could not be reached for a comment.