Ammon News - By Laila Azzeh/ Jordan Times

AMMAN — Twenty-four hours of anxiety and tortuous wait lie ahead for General Secondary School Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) students as they anticipate their results, which will be announced on Thursday.

The Tawjihi score will decide their future in higher education, including the major they are allowed to study and the university they will enroll in.

Despite calls to abandon harmful celebrations, the day the Tawjihi results are announced continues to be characterised by incidents of festive firing and joyriding around Jordan.

With the results being announced on Thursday evening, security apparatuses have announced preventive measures to reduce the exam’s related incidents as much as they can.

“I don’t think the police alone can curb the stupid practices witnessed on the day Tawjihi results are announced,” Abdul Raouf Momani, a teacher at a public school for boys told The Jordan Times over the phone.

“It’s in our culture to celebrate things in outrageous and harmful ways,” he argued.

Momani said that although he and his colleagues warn students of the consequences of reckless festivities, the same practices continue to be witnessed year after year.

For Osama Al Jazi, a Tawjihi student, the moment the results are out makes students “blind”, in the sense that their actions become “unpredictable”.

“I told myself in the first semester that I would not be involved in irresponsible acts, but when I knew I scored 80 per cent, I couldn’t control myself,” he told The Jordan Times, stressing that joyriding is the only “fun he allows himself to indulge in”.

Excessive celebrations caused 22 injuries following the announcement of Tawjihi results last year.

In February this year, 381 Tawjihi-related accidents were reported after the winter session results were announced.

Police officers will be patrolling the Kingdom’s streets this weekend to prevent violations by celebrating students, and strict measures will be taken against illegal acts that coincide with the announcement of the Tawjihi results, according to a statement issued by the Public Security Department.

The department called on the public to assist its personnel in curbing such practices and raising awareness on their dangers, stressing that the police will not be lenient in enforcing the law, especially regarding fireworks and festive firing.

According to the Guns and Ammunition Law, anyone “unjustifiably” firing gunshots or using any explosive material faces a three-month jail term and a JD1,000 fine.

The Interior Ministry has banned firework displays after 10:00pm and prior approval is required at least three days ahead of the festivity.

Meanwhile, Education Ministry Spokesperson Ayman Barakat said the decision to announce the results in the evening has been made in respect of Ramadan rituals.

“We knew, based on the results of a poll, that parents and students prefer the results to be out after iftar and taraweeh prayers,” he noted.

The exam’s results will be posted online and in schools at 10:00pm on Thursday, and Education Minister Mohammad Wahsh is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10:30pm to announce the passing rates and the names of top scoring students.