Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Meets with Minister of Education
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, held a meeting with Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, and members of the National Council for Education, Research, and Innovation, to discuss amending the Education Law. The meeting, held at the Ministry's headquarters in the Administrative Capital, aims to align the Education Law with modern requirements and ensure improved quality of education and student achievement. This will ensure comprehensive and sustainable development of the education system, achieving Egypt's Vision 2030.
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar began the meeting by welcoming the attendees to the first meeting of the members of the National Council for Education, Research, and Innovation, praising their ongoing efforts in supporting education and development, and emphasizing the critical importance of education as a fundamental pillar in building human capital and developing its capabilities.
Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized during the meeting the importance of education as the cornerstone of human development. He emphasized that developing the education system contributes to building an informed and qualified generation capable of facing the challenges of the times and actively participating in advancing sustainable development.
He said that Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar emphasized the importance of expediting the amendment of the Education Law, including the proposed amendments, and presenting them to the House of Representatives. The amendment is a vital step toward developing the education system and achieving the desired goals of improving the quality of education, in line with the requirements of the current stage and the rapid changes in various sectors.
Abdel Ghaffar added that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population emphasized the importance of pre-university education as the foundation upon which the entire education system is built. He emphasized the need for serious work to address the problem of school dropouts, which is one of the greatest challenges facing society, given its negative impact on human and economic development. He also highlighted the importance of developing technical education and applied schools and linking them to the needs of the labor market, with the aim of graduating generations capable of production and contributing effectively to supporting the economy.
Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that the meeting discussed amending some provisions of the Education Law, including amendments to pre-university education, the importance of linking education to the needs of the labor market, and enhancing the role of technical and applied education in preparing qualified cadres who contribute to advancing development. They also discussed the importance of year-long work grades for continuous student monitoring and evaluation, as well as the necessity of student attendance at school.
Abdel Ghaffar continued that the meeting discussed a study to introduce an entrepreneurship course and enhance its role in developing the education system. He emphasized the need to integrate entrepreneurship concepts into educational curricula at all levels of education, given its effective role in developing students' skills and encouraging them to think creatively and work independently. It also represents an investment in the future and contributes to preparing generations capable of creating new job opportunities. He added that the meeting discussed the importance of artificial intelligence and the need to focus on it in the coming period to keep pace with the times.
For his part, Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, reviewed the Ministry's efforts to develop various aspects of the education system.
The Minister of Education also reviewed the philosophy behind the proposed Egyptian Baccalaureate, noting that it relies on developing intellectual and critical skills rather than memorization and indoctrination. It also emphasizes multidisciplinary learning across multiple tracks, integrating scientific, literary, and artistic subjects, and providing multiple assessment opportunities through two exam sessions per year. The curriculum is divided over at least two years, allowing students to study specialized subjects more focused on their chosen subjects.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif added that several community dialogue sessions were held regarding this proposal with various stakeholders in the education system. A survey was also conducted among parents of third-year middle school students across all schools nationwide to share their views on the proposed Egyptian Baccalaureate.
The Minister of Education indicated that the proposed Egyptian Baccalaureate system is compatible with the IP and IGCSE systems, which are considered among the best educational systems in the world. He noted that the current secondary school system determines a student's future based on a single exam, while the Egyptian Baccalaureate system allows students multiple exam opportunities in each subject.
In another context, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif explained that developing technical education is a top priority for the Ministry of Education. He pointed to the number of applied technology schools, which currently number 90 across various disciplines. He stressed that the Ministry seeks to achieve the greatest possible expansion of these schools in partnership with the private sector and international institutions, which have commended this strategic step as it paves the way for the preparation of graduates whose skills and capabilities in various disciplines are compatible with the requirements of the local and international labor market.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Ayman Bahaa El-Din, Deputy Minister of Education; Dr. Ahmed El-Mohammadi, Assistant Minister of Education for Strategic Planning and Follow-up and Supervisor of the Central Administration for the Minister's Office Affairs; Mr. Ashraf El-Sayed, Legal Advisor to the Minister of Education; Dr. Atef Omar, Head of the Legislation Sector at the Ministry of Justice; Counselor Mohamed Fawzy, Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Parliamentary Councils, on behalf of the Minister; Dr. Ashraf Mansour, Founder of the German University in Egypt; Dr. Sherif Kamel, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at the American University; Dr. Alaa Idris, Former Vice President of Nile University for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Dr. Mohamed Galal, Advisor to the President of Al-Azhar University for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Dr. Mansour Hassan Wahby, CEO and Managing Director of Eba Edu for Development and Training and Founder of Wabiz Education and Training; Dr. Mohamed Abbas, Specialist in Management and Innovation in the Industrial Affairs Sector; and via video conference, Dr. Hani Helal, Former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Japanese University and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Senghor University; and Dr. Mohamed Fahmy, Chairman of Sequence Veture, a company for investment in modern technology.