CAIRO – Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif praised the efforts of UNESCO in supporting the development of education, pointing out to the ministry’s collaboration with the organization on several educational projects and expressed hope for further cooperation in the future to benefit the education system in Egypt.
This came during a meeting held between Abdel Latif and Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo Nuria Sanz, along with her accompanying delegation. The meeting aimed at discussing means of enhancing cooperation on educational projects being implemented in collaboration with the organization.
A galaxy of ministry officials and UNESCO program officers attended the meeting.
The minister voiced belief that education is Egypt’s future and that there are challenges on the ground that the ministry is working to resolve to reduce student density in classrooms and make the most of school buildings.
This is being done through a distinguished team that is exerting its utmost effort to develop plans to achieve this, said the minister, noting that the ministry is now working on mechanisms to attract students to schools.
He praised Egyptian teachers and their extensive experience in the field of education.
The minister emphasized the importance of digital literacy and cooperation with UNESCO to develop exceptional digital transformation programs and train teachers on them.
Sanz, for her part, expressed her happiness and keenness to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, reaffirming the organization’s mission to support the educational process in Egypt due to its pivotal role in the region. She stressed the importance of this meeting to discuss future plans, proposals, and perspectives to achieve a common, actionable vision that serves the development of the educational process in Egypt.
The meeting discussed the implementation of the first phase of supporting the establishment of a distance education center at the Professional Academy for Teachers, aimed at building teachers’ capacities to use technology and digital content for their continuous professional development. It also covered the development of the institutional framework and strategies to guide the center’s operations, building the capacities of the center’s staff, and establishing a data center and studio for producing online educational materials for teachers.
The meeting also addressed the second phase of the distance education center project, which began in January 2024 and ends in December 2027. This phase aims to support teachers’ digital competencies through the center, with the current focus on developing an implementation plan for the second phase in cooperation with the Professional Academy for Teachers.
Furthermore, the meeting discussed ways to support the Professional Academy for Teachers to become a category two UNESCO center.
The discussions also touched on UNESCO’s support for national policies, accreditation, and partnerships to develop technical education in Egypt, aiming to improve the quality of education and meet labor market needs.
