The Ministers of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and Education discuss ways of cooperation
Mr. Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, received Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, to enhance cooperation with the private sector in developing agricultural technical schools.
This was attended by Eng. Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Amr Basila, Head of the Central Administration for the Development of Technical Education and Director of the Operation Unit of Applied Technology Schools, Dr. Helmy Abu Al-Aish, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Heliopolis University, and Khaled Badr, Chairman of a private sector company operating in the agricultural sector.
The Minister of Agriculture welcomed the Minister of Education and the fruitful cooperation between the two ministries, stressing the importance of constructive cooperation with the Ministry of Education and with investors in the field of agricultural development, and how to achieve the desired agricultural renaissance by benefiting from the existing agricultural schools and technical education schools to achieve development in the agricultural sector.
Farouk stressed that the agricultural renaissance that Egypt is currently witnessing during the era of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi requires agricultural technical workers trained in modern agricultural techniques, agricultural innovation, irrigation methods, as well as activities related to livestock, poultry, and fish wealth, improving breeds, organic farming, and others. He also pointed out that graduates of these schools can be used to fill the deficit in agricultural guidance in addition to agricultural manufacturing.
The Minister of Agriculture added that the great expertise available at the Agricultural Research Center, the Export Council for Agricultural Crops, and export associations and councils can be used to train students so that we have a modern graduate needed by the labor market.
For his part, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, confirmed that the ministry seeks to cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and all partners to advance technical education as one of the most important elements of developing the Egyptian economy, stressing the ministry's keenness to benefit from various experiences to achieve the desired goals of graduating students whose abilities match the various specializations by building bridges of partnership and cooperation, with the aim of raising their efficiency and capabilities in the fields of agricultural development, linking agricultural education to the actual needs of the labor market and creating new professions and specializations that serve the field of agriculture.
The Minister of Education explained that the ministry is currently working to expand the base of partnerships with the business sector to qualify and train students, noting that the number of agricultural schools is 172 schools.
He explained that partnerships with the private sector and the business sector benefit the employer through training students scientifically, technically and practically during the years of study to become trained workers according to its standards and requirements, which is a good investment for all parties concerned, stressing that all the ambassadors of the countries that were met expressed their countries' aspiration to cooperate with Egypt in this important sector.
MP Hesham El-Hosary and Eng. Abdel Salam El-Gebali, Heads of the Agriculture and Irrigation Committees in the House of Representatives and Senate, stressed parliamentary support for the direction of the Ministries of Agriculture and Education in developing agricultural technical schools and linking education to the labor market to prepare a qualified graduate for the local market or to work abroad.
The meeting discussed ways to support the institutional capacities of agricultural technical secondary schools, and meet investment needs by building bridges of partnership and cooperation to implement training and qualification programs for students of agricultural technical education, with the aim of raising their efficiency and capabilities in the fields of agricultural development, linking agricultural education to the actual needs of the labor market, and creating new professions and specializations that serve the specializations of the agricultural sector.
It was agreed to prepare a cooperation protocol with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and partners regarding the development of agricultural technical secondary schools and work to qualify students in various agricultural specializations that are compatible with the labor market and provide them with job opportunities in the production field.
It was also agreed to develop an action plan and include specialized institutions such as the Agricultural Research Center, the Export Center for Agricultural Computers, and the Export Council for Food Industries to benefit from their expertise.