President Abdel Fattah El Sisi directed the government to continue with the comprehensive development of Egypt’s education system, including the regular modernisation of curricula and textbooks to keep pace with relevant scientific and educational advances and ensure that students are equipped with the latest and most effective standards. He also stressed the importance of expanding co-operation with international partners to support Egypt’s efforts to advance its education system and benefit from leading international educational practices in preparing and qualifying teaching and educational staff in a manner that suites Egypt’s national context.
President Sisi’s remarks came during his meeting on Tuesday with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif, and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abdel Azziz Konsowa.
The meeting focused on preparations for the start of the new academic year at Egyptian schools, institutes and universities, as well as measures to ensure the regular delivery of the educational process in accordance with the highest standards of quality and efficiency, the Presidency Spokesman, Ambassador Mohamed el-Shennawy, said.
The meeting also addressed ongoing efforts to develop curricula and qualify teachers and staff working in educational institutions, with the aim of preparing graduates who possess high levels of academic and practical competence and the skills required to enter the labour market.
The minister of Education presented an update on the implementation of the Egyptian Baccalaureate system and the General Secondary Education Certificate system. He affirmed that the new curricula had been developed in accordance with the highest international standards, with specialised institutions engaged in the review and preparation process to ensure that students benefit from the latest educational approaches and technologies and are equipped with the skills needed to become qualified professionals.
He stressed that the Ministry of Education is committed to developing the educational process, encompassing both academic and pedagogical aspects, while fully upholding the principle of equal opportunities among Egyptian students.
The minister also reviewed developments in Egypt-Japan co-operation in education, noting that Egyptian Japanese schools have emerged as a leading model supporting Egypt’s efforts to modernise its education system and curricula.
He highlighted ongoing co-operation with Germany in technical education and vocational training, as well as co-operation with Italy in applied technology schools and technical education. These partnerships, he said, aim at preparing qualified human resources capable of meeting the needs of the labour market both domestically and internationally.
As part of efforts to develop students’ skills in technology and programming and expand international partnerships offering students outstanding educational and training opportunities, Abdel Latif said the ministry had coordinated with Japanese company SPRIX to provide travel scholarships for 10 students from different Egyptian governorates, in recognition of their excellence and achievements in programming. The ministry is also providing 50 training opportunities for students at various companies, helping them gain practical experience and strengthen the link between their educational skills and labour-market requirements.
For his part, the minister of higher education briefed the president on developments to improve educational environment at Egyptian universities and institutes to keep pace with scientific and technological advances.
He reviewed efforts to enhance the capabilities of Egyptian universities and provide an integrated educational and research environment, as well as improved training and professional development opportunities for students.
The minister also outlined ongoing efforts to position Egypt as a regional and international hub for higher education, scientific research and innovation. He highlighted initiatives to strengthen co-operation with international partners in terms of education and cultural exchange, providing students, researchers and faculty members with opportunities to exchange expertise, skills, and academic, scientific and research practices.
The meeting also reviewed efforts to improve the international rankings and competitiveness of Egyptian universities at the regional and global levels.
The minister of higher education also presented developments concerning the Future Skills Academy, one of the national initiatives designed to prepare a generation capable of adapting to future jobs and the requirements of the digital economy.
The academy provides advanced digital training pathways and internationally recognised professional certifications for students, graduates, faculty members and employees of higher education institutions. The initiative seeks to strengthen the alignment between education and labour market needs.
In this context, Konsowa said the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is preparing to sign a co-operation agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide globally recognised training content delivered by leading international universities, institutions and companies in high-demand fields, including artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, entrepreneurship and green skills.
The first phase is expected to provide about 50,000 training licences benefiting around 150,000 students and trainees, with a gradual expansion that would bring the total number of licences to around 1.5 million over three years.
President Sisi directed the government to maintain continued development of the higher education and scientific research system and called for building on the progress already achieved, given the sector’s central role in developing Egypt’s human capital and advancing national development.
The President also directed that priority be given to preparing new generations through the latest scientific and educational methods so that graduates can meet the evolving needs of the labour market. He underscored the importance of continuing digital transformation and leveraging artificial intelligence applications as part of the modernisation process to maximise the impact of efforts to develop education.
President Sisi further stressed the need to strengthen international co-operation and exchange expertise with partner countries and prestigious educational institutions, enabling Egypt to benefit from leading international practices and supporting national efforts to advance education.
In this regard, the president underscored the importance of partnerships aimed at establishing international universities and educational institutions’ branch campuses in Egypt, thereby contributing to the development of the country’s national capabilities in relevant fields.
