In a confirmation of an undeniable trend to inculcate a scholastic culture among students that favors the National Democratic Party (NDP), an increasing number of mandatory exam questions in public schools focus on the ruling party.

On Saturday, first preparatory class students sitting for the Arabic language exam in the Menouf directorate in the Nile Delta governorate of Menoufia were asked to write an essay on what it means to win the NDP caucuses elections.

The first mandatory question in the midyear exam prepared by the Menouf educational directorate asked students to "Write an essay to congratulate your teacher for winning the NDP caucus elections in his precinct," between brackets the question read: "Omit the name of the teacher". The term ‘mandatory question’ was also bracketed.

"We found out that the subject's senior teacher is an NDP member," one of the parents, who declined to give his name or divulge the identity of the teacher, told ‘al-Masry al-Youm.’

The ministry of education’s undersecretary for the governorate of Menoufia, Abdel Fatah Raslan, refused to comment on the exam question, and denied any knowledge of such questions.

"I will first have to discuss the matter with Menouf's educational directorate because each directorate is in charge of preparing the questions for its own exams," he told ‘al-Masry al-Youm.’