Egypt further delays resumption of academic year

The military-backed government in Egypt has adjourns the resumption of the academic year at all public schools and universities for the third time.

The interim government said all public schools and universities open on March 8.

The second half of the school year in Egypt was originally supposed to start on February 22.

Egyptian authorities say they want to renovate the university buildings which were damaged during student protests against the government.

Early in February, Egypt’s Health Ministry announced that the start of the new term would be postponed due to an outbreak of swine flu.

But some believe the authorities are fearful of more anti-government demonstrations at universities.

Since the start of the school year in late August, universities have been at the heart of protests against the military ouster of former Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, last July.

The protests have repeatedly spiraled into violence with dozens of students being arrested and consequently tried and sentenced to serve jail terms.

In the latest such trials, a court in northern city of Alexandria sentenced at least 37 university students to prison for attending anti-government protests.

Students from Alexandria University were each sentenced to one-year in prison and fined USD 1,500 for taking part in ‘unauthorized’ protest rallies held last year.