Egypt schools off on Tuesday ahead of mass rival protests

Private and public schools to exempt pupils from attending class on Tuesday in anticipation of mass marches by Muslim Brotherhood opponents and supporters Egypt's Ministry of Education released a memorandum on Monday exempting students in public and private schools from class on Tuesday due to rival mass protests planned across the country from Muslim Brotherhood supporters and opponents. Cairo University also informed its students that classes are called off for Tuesday. According to the ministry's memorandum, teachers will not be exempted from going to work on Tuesday, despite pupils absence. Tuesday's protests come as a consequence to President Mohamed Morsi's surprise decree that shielded his decisions, as well as the Islamist-led parliament and consituent assembly, from judicial oversight. The planned protests already come in a backdrop of intermittent clashes between protesters and police forces in Cairo's Tahrir Square since Monday, as well as a number of clashes between Brotherhood supporters and opponents since the decree was issued on Thursday. Both the Muslim Brotherhood and its opponents will demonstrate om Tuesday. Morsi opponents will march on Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, while Brotherhood supporters will march on Nahdet Masr square near Cairo University. Morsi opposition parties and groups have announced that their mass rallies will start at 5pm on Tuesday, while the Brotherhood has not announced the time at which its protests will start. From Ahramonline