Pearson Edexcel and the British Council Egypt hosted the Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards (OPLAs) at the British Embassy in Cairo, recognizing the top-performing students in Egypt for Pearson Edexcel qualifications. Honouring and co-hosting the ceremony were HMA Gareth Bailey, British Ambassador to Egypt, Mark Howard, Director of British Council in Egypt, and Kathryn Booth, Regional Director, Pearson School Qualifications.
OPLAs reward students who achieve outstanding results in their Pearson Edexcel iPrimary, iLowerSecondary, International GCSE and International A level examinations.
The awards celebrates the academic achievements of secondary school learners in the 2023 Edexcel International GCSE exams as well as commemorate the teachers and schools that prepared these high-performing students.
British Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley said: ‘I commend Pearson for its unwavering dedication to creating impactful learning experiences worldwide. Education is the foundation of progress, and initiatives like those undertaken by Pearson contribute significantly to fostering global understanding and collaboration.
Together with the British Council, we are proud to support endeavors that promote cultural exchange, educational opportunities, and ultimately, a more prosperous future for all.’
The OPLAs contribute to the government’s initiatives to develop its education ecosystem to achieve sustainable development, observe its goals in the educational curricula and methods, and provide it in accordance with international quality standards to keep Egyptian society strong and coherent.
The OPLAs are divided into 3 categories, namely, The Highest Mark in the World, The Highest Mark in Africa and The Highest Mark in Egypt to inspire other students to achieve educational excellence.
Kathryn Booth, Regional Director, Pearson School Qualifications, said: “Investing in education and supporting learners can have a significant positive impact on a country’s progress and development such as economic growth, increased civic engagement, social mobility, etc. By providing people with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to succeed, countries can create a more prosperous society for all.”
“As a global leader in education, Pearson has been providing high-quality qualifications to learners in Egypt, and the UK has been supporting the country’s education sector through various initiatives. This partnership strengthens the ties between our two countries and paves the way for future collaborations.
We take great pride in the outstanding achievements of our students, which reflect their perseverance, discipline, and diligent efforts. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to them, as well as to the teaching faculty and parents for their unwavering commitment and support,” Booth added.
Mark Howard, Country Director, British Council said: “We are very proud to honour 70 young Egyptians with 72 awards at this year’s ceremony. The students are from 36 schools who participated in the October/November 2022 and May/June 2023 examination series.
These students have demonstrated exceptional academic performance and dedication to their studies. We are delighted through the British Council’s partnership with the Ministry of Education and Pearson to be creating opportunities for Egyptian students to thrive in a global market and share their ideas and experiences.”
The 72 awards presented to Egyptian student winners topped millions of students around the world for exceptional performance in Pearson Edexcel examinations, including Top in Egypt Awards for international Qualifications.
The International GCSE exams were first introduced by the British Council in Egypt in 1990. They represent one part of the wide range of highly distinguished educational systems and programmes offered by the British Council in Egypt in cooperation with Pearson Edexcel and the Ministry of Education.
The latest statistics from the Egyptian education market indicate that the country has the most extensive education system in the Middle East. According to Berkley Research Group, it has more than 60,000 schools, of which only 7,000 are private schools.
Egypt’s private sector K-12 student growth has almost doubled in the last five years, and 2.1 million new seats will be needed in private sector schools in Egypt by 2030.
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