AMMAN (JT) –– The Higher Education Council (HEC) on Thursday decided to raise the minimum Tawjihi score for admission to the Kingdom's private universities to 60 per cent, according to Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Walid Maani.

Previously, students whose average in the Tawjihi (General Secondary Certificate Examination) was 55 per cent or above were eligible to enrol in programmes at these universities.

Another key decision taken by the HEC was to annul an exception to regulations under which the minimum Tawjihi score for admission in public universities in the southern region, along with the Mafraq-based Al al Bayt University, was lower than that for other public universities.

The limit was set anew at 65 per cent instead of 60, to be unified with the rest of the public universities in the Kingdom, the minister announced, as quoted by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The HEC has also approved amendments to criteria for the bridging system under which the best achievers in the Comprehensive Exam (Shamel), a state-run test for intermediate college students, can continue their first university degree at local universities. According to the amendments, starting in the 2010-11 academic year, community college students must finish the Shamel with a score of at least 68 per cent to continue their studies. Under the previous rules, community college graduates would lose their chance to bridge seven years after completing the Shamel, but the new regulations will cancel this deadline.

Currently, there are 10 public and 16 private universities in the Kingdom.

There are also some 54 community colleges in the country. Of the total, 14 are public, 24 private and others affiliated with the Jordan Armed Forces, the Civil Defence Department, the Ministry of Health and UNRWA.