The UAE's Ministry of Education said it is reducing the weight of first-term results for end-of-year Grade 12 scores after a large number of pupils failed a controversial new exam, reported the National. Last December the ministry introduced a new exam in a move to assess critical thinking rather than memorisation skills. An estimated 40% of pupils failed the exam, which was criticised by parents as 'too difficult'. Yesterday the ministry said it was changing the calculation of first-term results, which will now account for only 40% of the end-of-year grade, and the second term for 60%. Each term initially was to have been weighted equally