Egypt’s Minister of International Co-operation, Rania el-Mashat, made a tour on Sunday of STEM School of Excellence in Science, Technology and Mathematics in Assuit, one of the fruits of co-operation between the Egyptian government and the United States.
Accompanying the minister in the tour was Dutch Ambassador to Cairo, Han-Maurits Schaapveld, and Assuit Governor, Essam Saad.
The school is one of many established within the framework of co-operation with the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Since 2014, the Egyptian government has signed agreements in the field of basic education with the agency worth $124 million.
It aims at producing the next generation of local workers who have skills that meet the demands of the labour market.
Minister el-Mashat highlighted the importance of the government’s partnership with USAID, especially in supporting development efforts in Egypt.
The joint strategy for development co-operation with the agency for 2021 – 2025, the minister said, would keep supporting these development efforts.
She said the science, technology, engineering and mathematics schools project is being implemented in 11 governorates nationwide.
She noted that a total of 18 schools would be constructed in these governorates within the framework of co-operation with USAID in this regard.
The schools, the minister said, would benefit over half a million pupils in the first phase of the agreement.
She added that the construction of STEM schools comes within state efforts to invest in human capital in co-operation with development partners.
“We want to prepare qualified human cadres to join the labour market and meet its requirements,” the minister said.
She revealed that during 2021, the government concluded development financing agreements with development partners worth $2.47 billion.
