The Minister of Education launches the first meeting of the Education and Skills Development Partners Group (DPG)
Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, launched the first meeting of the Education and Skills Development Partners Group (DPG) in its new session, in cooperation with UNICEF and the Sawiris Foundation. To discuss the cooperation opportunities available in the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and support the Ministry’s priorities.
At the beginning of his speech, Dr. Reda Hegazy expressed his happiness to participate in the first meeting of the new session of development partners’ meetings, praising the topic of the meeting, which focuses on maximizing opportunities for cooperation within the framework of the Global Partnership for Education, stressing the ministry’s keenness to continue cooperation with development partners in a way that serves the interest of education. In Egypt, it contributes to providing high-quality education to every child in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The Minister thanked and appreciated both the World Bank and the International Labor Organization for chairing the last session of development partners over the past two years, noting that this session aims to discuss many important priority issues for education in Egypt.
The Minister confirmed in his speech that today is the result of more than two years of work by the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, as the Ministry prepared the strategic plan 2024/2029, and reached the challenges, gaps and priorities, indicating that the Ministry works through sustainability and solidarity of all parties, and with other ministries within the government. Egyptian, civil society organizations, and international bodies.
The minister continued that successful initiatives were included in the ministry’s plans, stressing that the country’s renaissance begins from the education portal, especially in light of digital transformation, industrial revolutions, and artificial intelligence, as future jobs will change, so it is necessary for the student to be able to produce information and knowledge, and to possess skills. Research that enables lifelong learning; To create a generation capable of competitiveness in the future, as the Ministry’s vision is to provide distinguished education without discrimination.
The Minister of Education confirmed that the development partners file will be directly under his auspices as the highest point of contact to determine the files that will be worked on during the current session, to ensure results linked to programs specific to the ministry’s priorities and consistent with the priorities of the ministry’s strategic plan.
Dr. Reda Hegazy said that we faced many challenges with global dimensions, which have far-reaching repercussions on the economic, social and environmental future of Egypt, and more specifically on the education sector, but the analysis we conducted of the sector over two years contributed to identifying all the problems, and it was This is the beginning of the launch of a strategic plan that keeps pace with Egypt’s Vision 2030, noting that Egypt’s official accession to the Global Partnership for Education came as a supportive step for the ministry’s efforts to achieve the goals of developing the educational system and implementing the ministry’s strategic plan.
The Minister reviewed the priorities of the strategic plan 2024/2029, which are availability and participation, and include expanding the construction and renovation of schools and classrooms, expanding the professional development of teachers and distributing them geographically, raising awareness of the importance of education, reducing financial obstacles preventing access to education, in addition to improving the quality of learning and teaching, modifying curricula and evaluation, and training. Teachers before employment and during employment, improving the educational environment, and with regard to equity and inclusion, it includes disparity of services according to geographical distribution, students with special needs, disparity in income level, and gender, in addition to governance and management, which includes teacher management, spending on education, and making data available and using it as guides for policies. Adopting decentralization of educational functions and partnerships with the private sector.
The Minister pointed out that translating priorities into programs aimed at improving basic skills and early education, developing the professional academy for teachers and teacher training programs (general, technical), reviewing and activating quality and accounting policies, developing curricula (general, technical), and modernizing educational evaluation methods (general, technical). Technical education), expanding the construction and renovation of schools and classrooms, integrating students with special needs, and integrating foreign and refugee students.
The Minister also said that supporting the learning and teaching environment within Egyptian educational institutions is based on working to increase maintenance, security and safety rates within educational institutions, expanding the technological environment (smart boards, educational platforms), and expanding support for the educational environment required for people of determination (resource rooms, and integration training), improving basic skills, addressing educational loss at the national level, and supporting national programs to raise the efficiency and skills of teachers.
Dr. Reda Hegazy added that the Ministry gives the highest priority to the primary stage, and therefore there must be a teacher capable of developing the student’s personality because it is considered the most important educational stage, and this stage requires strong professional development for teachers and all school officials, given that the school is the development unit, in addition to the expansion of Activities supporting green learning, as well as access and gender equality.
At the conclusion of his speech, the Minister stressed that the Ministry welcomes cooperation with development partners in developing a list of topics and files to be discussed during the development partners’ meetings for this session and over the next two years, in order to reach solutions and proposals based on exchanging experiences and examining fruitful cooperation opportunities.
For his part, Jeremy Hopkins, representative of UNICEF Egypt, expressed his happiness at participating in the first meeting of the Development Partners Group, with joint cooperation from UNICEF, the Sawiris Foundation, and the Ministry of Education, stressing that this work is of interest to development partners in education in cooperation with a number of actors in this sector.
Jeremy Hopkins stressed that Egypt's membership in the Global Partnership for Education is an important step to advance education, as this partnership aims to support the Ministry of Education to advance the educational process in Egypt, noting that there are many challenges, but there are also ambitions aimed at moving forward in education reform in light of The Ministry of Education’s indicators for student development, its implementation plan and setting priorities.
Jeremy Hopkins pointed out that the meeting aims to highlight the importance of having a unified working group to develop effective strategies and ensure open communication between all stakeholders.
Shiraz Shakra, Head of the Education Department at UNICEF, also expressed his gratitude for the strong partnership between the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, and the cooperation in laying the foundations for developing education in Egypt.
Shiraz reviewed with thanks the ways to maximize the benefit from the partnership, noting that Egypt is interested in all children receiving equal educational opportunities in accordance with the sustainable development goals, adding that in 2023 there were achievements in light of the Global Partnership for Education, as a sectoral plan was developed and approved by Before the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, the main requirements have been identified regarding the operational plan, which will be implemented over the next three years in order to achieve the Ministry’s strategic objectives in light of its membership in the Global Partnership for Education.
He added that there are a number of goals in light of the 2024/2029 plan under the leadership of the Ministry of Education, including developing future master plans for a group of development partners, and developing an education charter, which will focus on the agreed-upon points for development. It is also a promising opportunity to support the Ministry of Education to achieve a radical and tangible change in Developing education, analyzing various conditions and factors to enable access, and opportunities to activate efficiency and quality planning to contribute to rapid and effective changes in cooperation with development partners, and consultation with development partners.
For her part, Engineer Noura Selim, Executive Director of the Sawiris Foundation, expressed her gratitude for today’s meeting, representing the Board of Trustees of the Sawiris Foundation, to discuss ways of cooperation as partners in development and those concerned with supporting efforts aimed at improving learning outcomes because of their importance in completing the process of developing education and moving to the market. the job.
Engineer Noura Selim said: “We praise the distinguished efforts of the Ministry of Education in communicating with civil society and building joint dialogues, in order to work together to find optimal solutions to advance education and focus on basic skills in education,” noting that there are a number of challenges in Egypt. And the world in various fields, including education, where many young people and children suffer from difficulties in accessing high-quality educational services as well as completing the regular education process.
She added that education faces many challenges as a result of the effects of the Corona pandemic and the regional and international wars that have affected economically and educationally, and therefore we need now more than ever to combine local and international efforts, integrate programs, and use accurate scientific foundations.
She stressed that the new strategy of the Sawiris Foundation for the year 2023/2028 focuses on working to reduce multidimensional poverty, including education and social and economic causes, and the element of availability represents opportunities for quality education and a focus on basic skills, adding that the Sawiris Foundation also focuses, through the education sector, on improving outcomes. Education for students through pre-primary education programs, basic education, and technical and vocational education, stressing that the Foundation seeks to find solutions with scientific evidence, such as the training program at the right level, which has scientifically proven its long-term positive effects, through effective partnership with the Ministry of Education and partners. Development.
This came in the presence of Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in Egypt, Shiraz Shakira, Director of Education at UNICEF, Engineer Noura Selim, Executive Director of the Sawiris Foundation, representatives of the World Bank, the World Food Programme, the European Union delegation, the Embassy of the Netherlands, the Sawiris Foundation - JICA - the Embassy of Germany, and the Organization United Nations Industrial Development, the United States Agency for International Development, and the German Cooperation Agency
From the Ministry’s side, Dr. Ahmed Daher, Deputy Minister for Technological Development, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mohammadi, Assistant Minister for Quality and Strategic Planning, Major General Bisri Salem, Assistant Minister for the General Authority for Educational Buildings, Dr. Ramadan Muhammad, Assistant Minister for Examinations and Educational Evaluation, and Dr. Jihan Kamal, Assistant Minister for Educational Research and Development, attended. Dr. Sherine Hamdi, Advisor to the Minister for Administrative Development and Supervisor of the Central Administration for the Affairs of the Minister’s Office, Professor Mohamed Attia, Head of the Central Administration for Expenditure Education, Dr. Randa Shaheen, Head of the Central Administration for Public Education, Dr. Akram Hassan, Head of the Central Administration for Curriculum Development, and Professor Khaled Abdel Hakam, Head of the Central Administration. For the affairs of educational directorates and administrations, Brigadier General Tariq Al-Baz, Head of the Central Administration for Investment and Finance, Dr. Rabab Zidane, Director-General of the General Administration for Educational Leadership Affairs, Dr. Suzy Hussein, Director-General of the General Administration for International Relations, and Mushira Hassan, Director-General of the General Administration for Strategic Planning and Policies.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, Oka Hiroshi, received the Japanese Ambassador to Cairo. To discuss aspects of cooperation in the field of developing pre-university education.
Dr. Reda Hegazy expressed his appreciation for the depth of the Egyptian-Japanese partnership, especially in the field of education, praising the cooperation in several projects, including Egyptian-Japanese schools, which now number 51 schools in 26 governorates, and teach the new Egyptian curriculum in the English language, stressing the ministry’s endeavor to expand this quality. From schools because of the good education they provide in addition to the Japanese Tokatsu activities that develop the child’s personality and instill in him belonging and teamwork.
For his part, the Japanese Ambassador in Cairo expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Education and his efforts in developing the educational process in Egypt, stressing that education is one of the priority areas of cooperation between Japan and Egypt, and the support of the Japanese Embassy in Cairo to develop the educational process in Egypt, and the transfer of Japanese expertise in the field of education. .
The Japanese ambassador also affirmed Japan's pride in the experience of Egyptian-Japanese schools and the distinguished academic level and behavior of their students during his visit to one of the schools to celebrate Japanese Cultural Day.
The meeting discussed cooperation in the field of professional development for teachers, curriculum development, especially in the field of mathematics, and the preparation of digital educational materials for new curricula, in addition to the student exchange program between Egypt and Japan, which was activated within the framework of cultural exchange between the two countries.