RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education on Thursday announced the 2012 results for the country wide Tawjihi exams.

A press conference was held in Ma'an Network's Ramallah office and broadcast on Mix TV.

Over 87,000 students sat for the Tawjihi exams, with 62.2 percent obtaining a pass mark, Deputy Minister of Education Jihad Zakarneh said.

The Ministry of Education is working hard to develop a general secondary examination in line with modern educational standards and the aspirations of Palestinian society, he added.

The Tawjihi, administered every year for Palestinian students seeking the high school qualification, is required for those who wish to enter Palestinian universities. The score on the test determines which programs a would-be student can enter.

Of the 87,611 registered test takers, 52 percent were women. Of the total number of students, 50,158 were from the West Bank and 37,453 were from Gaza.

Students often complain about the difficulty of the exams.