Candidates sitting for the Intermediate Education Certificate (BEM) 2026 session completed their second day of testing on Wednesday. The atmosphere was defined by vigilance and focus, though psychological tension is mounting as the examination period progresses.
Across the entire country, over 877,000 pupils have been taking these official assessments since Tuesday in highly structured examination centers. This comes alongside a major mobilization of academic staff and a constant presence of parents waiting outside the schools.
Regarding this second day, students reported that the papers were manageable. During the morning session, they were required to sit for the mathematics exam from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, followed by English from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. In the afternoon, candidates continued with the history and geography test scheduled from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm.
Ultimately, the assessments for these subjects took place under favorable conditions. According to the pupils, the topics presented were not as formidable as they had feared and, crucially, were drawn directly from the curriculum taught in class.
This observation was shared by numerous students who expressed relief, feeling noticeably more confident ahead of the afternoon’s history and geography exam—a test entirely dependent on memorization and therefore deemed easier by the examinees.
On the opening day, candidates had commenced the examination cycle amid a blend of anxiety and apprehension, marking their very first decisive official milestone in their academic journeys.
According to several instructors, inspectors, and pupils, the initial day proved rather encouraging, particularly due to tasks considered accessible in Arabic and physical sciences.
Experts noted that the provided topics respected the principle of pedagogical progression and aligned strictly with the official syllabus. Nonetheless, several candidates highlighted issues regarding time management, specifically due to the length of the exercises and the high volume of questions.
One of the most debated points within the educational community involved the utilization of “prior knowledge” in certain questions.
Some parents argued that many students had focused their revision solely on the fourth-year curriculum, only to discover during the tests that some questions required drawing upon knowledge acquired during previous years, notably the third year.
Specialists also emphasized that the 2026 BEM papers appear more geared toward evaluating comprehension and analytical skills rather than the mere mechanical regurgitation of memorized lessons.
The BEM examinations continue today. Candidates will face papers in life and earth sciences, as well as French.