The Ministers of Education and Agriculture and Land Reclamation Participate in a Workshop
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, and Mr. Alaa El Din Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, participated in a workshop titled "Cooperation with the Private Sector to Develop Agricultural Technical Education in Egypt (Agri-TVET)", organized by the Elsewedy Technical Academy, affiliated with Elsewedy Electric.
The workshop was attended by Eng. Mohamed Elsewedy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Egyptian Industries; Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Elsewedy Electric; Dr. Ahmed Daher, Deputy Minister of Education; Dr. Ayman Bahaa El Din, Deputy Minister of Education; Dr. Ahmed Elmohamady, Assistant Minister for Strategic Planning and Head of the Central Administration for Minister's Office Affairs; Dr. Hanem Ahmed, Advisor to the Minister for International Cooperation and Agreements; Dr. Amr Basila, Head of the Central Administration for Technical Education Development and Supervisor of the Applied Technology Schools Unit and Operations; Ms. Hanan El-Rihani, CEO of Elsewedy Technical Academy (STA); and a large number of businessmen and investors in the industrial and agricultural sectors. At the beginning of his speech, Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, emphasized that the Ministry attaches great importance to supporting technical education in Egypt, based on its status as a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable development and meeting the needs of the local and international labor market. This is part of the state's commitment to advancing the technical education system and enhancing its role in supporting the national economy.
The Minister explained that Egypt has 1,270 technical education schools, including 172 agricultural schools spanning an area of nearly 3,000 acres, located in distinct agricultural areas, enhancing opportunities for practical and applied training for students.
The Minister of Education indicated that the Ministry is working according to a comprehensive vision aimed at making technical education a gateway for export and foreign investment. He explained that one of the biggest challenges facing this approach is the shortage of internationally qualified technical workers according to international standards, which constitutes a major responsibility that falls on technical education.
The Minister added that these challenges have multiple dimensions, including social aspects related to society's culture toward technical education, and those related to curricula, training methods, and qualifications within schools. He emphasized that the Ministry aims to change the societal perception of technical education.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif emphasized that the Ministry is working to open new horizons for international cooperation in the field of technical education, through partnerships with several countries facing a shortage of qualified technical workers due to the emergence of new jobs and the decline in their youth's interest in traditional jobs. This opens the way for trained Egyptian workers to fill this gap.
The Minister added that, in cooperation with our partners abroad, we have identified promising opportunities to support technical education, and we are currently working to train and qualify students according to the highest international standards, with the goal of enabling them to work in foreign markets, particularly in modern jobs that require advanced technical skills.
He pointed out that the Ministry benefits from European programs in technical training, implementing international educational models within Egyptian technical schools. He explained that serious steps are being taken to establish regional offices for Italian technical education schools in Egypt, through which Italian-accredited certificates are granted, enabling graduates to work directly abroad.
The Minister emphasized that the Applied Technology Schools model represents a successful experience in developing technical education, as it is an integrated model that combines education and practical training in partnership with private sector institutions. He explained that the Ministry aims to expand this model so that each technical school has its own source of income, without incurring additional burdens on the investor.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif added that we aim to build a joint and sustainable business model within each school that enhances practical training opportunities, enabling the development of a trained and qualified technical workforce capable of meeting the needs of the local and international labor market, in accordance with international standards that keep pace with economic requirements.
The Minister indicated that this approach is being implemented in close cooperation with the private sector, based on the belief in the importance of integration between the government and productive institutions in developing education, linking it to the actual needs of the labor market, and graduating a new generation of technicians who possess the skills, knowledge, and practical experience. During the meeting, the Minister discussed with the attendees ways to build a sustainable joint business model that contributes to the qualification of graduates according to international standards. He noted the signing of an agreement last week with the Italian partner and the Ministry of Electricity to establish five technical schools specializing in the field of electricity. A similar agreement will follow next week with the Ministry of Health and the Italian partner to establish five more schools in the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to schools specializing in the aluminum industry and other vital sectors. This will ensure that students obtain internationally accredited certificates.
The Minister confirmed that the Ministry intends to cooperate with a number of countries in the areas of international accreditation, technical review, curriculum development, training programs, and institutional marketing, enhancing the quality of the technical education system.
The Minister also stressed the importance of preparing graduates specialized in the field of agricultural landscaping and green spaces, noting that this issue is being discussed with the Dutch side, considering the Netherlands a global leader in this field. He explained that the Ministry will also explore cooperation with the Japanese side to learn about rice cultivation techniques and utilize them in agricultural schools in Egypt.