Egyptian high school students organized protests in Cairo this week over complaints on how they were being treated as they applied to university.
A protest, which was organized after students said they had exhausted all attempts to apply for public colleges and have been told to study in majors they did not want or go to universities they do not wish to attend, was violently broken up by police force outside the Education Ministry.
Students in the Egyptian high school system are required to fill in forms to state what major they would like to study and where. These forms are then sent out to a "coordination office" which reviews the student's choices and depending on the student's final score, the coordination office sends admission papers to universities that will accept the student.
However, many students found themselves being told told to go to universities and study majors that they do not want or simply cannot afford.
Master's and Ph.D. holders also joined in the protest and set their degrees on fire to protest how education in Egypt is practically useless and their inability to find jobs. The group also called for their rights to employment and demanded government positions.
Security forces also used excessive violence at a second protest in front of the Minister's Cabinet.