Education announces the steps to apply for the School of Outstanding Students (STEM) and the School of Outstanding Students in Ain Shams

Dr. Tarek Shawky, Minister of Education and Technical Education, Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Khaled Al-Anani, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Nevin Gamea, Minister of Trade and Industry witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding; To support and implement the activities of the “Egypt Workforce” project, between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, and the Egypt Workforce Project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); To create the first platform for sectoral skills councils in Egypt.
The signing of the memorandum of understanding was attended by Leslie Reid, Director of the USAID Mission in Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Megahed, Deputy Minister of Education for Technical Education, Joseph Ghanem, Director of the Egypt Manpower Project, and Dr. Nada Masoud, Economic Advisor to the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, And Eng. Tarek Tawfik, Vice-Dean of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Egyptian Industries and Rapporteur of the Business Environment Working Group of the National Program for Structural Reforms.
In his speech, Dr. Tarek Shawky expressed his happiness at signing the memorandum of understanding, stressing that the government is seeking, supported by unprecedented support and political will from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, towards a complete and comprehensive reform of the technical education and vocational training system in Egypt. This is done through a strategy based on five main axes, namely: improving quality, through the establishment of an independent body; To ensure quality and accreditation in the fields of technical education (Itqan), adopt curricula based on the merits methodology, and improve teachers’ skills, through the establishment of an academy to train technical education teachers, and the participation of business owners in the development of technical education, in addition to changing the stereotypical societal image of education. He pointed out that this strategy depends on the successful and effective partnership between the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, ministries and state institutions, the private sector, and the public business sector, in cooperation with international partners.
Dr. Tarek Shawky said that the sectoral skills councils are sectoral entities led by business owners from the private sector, which are created to ensure that the providers of technical education and vocational training services to serve a specific industrial sector meet the needs of business owners in this sector of graduates who have mastered the appropriate technical skills, pointing out that One of the main reasons for establishing sectoral skills councils is to address issues of international competitiveness and to recognize that technical skills are constantly changing and modernizing, and need to be developed at the sectoral level rather than the economy as a whole.
He pointed out that the basic tasks of the sectoral skills councils include providing information and analyzes of the labor market on a sectoral basis, identifying skills gaps in terms of quality and the required numbers of skilled workers, and defining occupational standards, in cooperation with the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Authority (Itqan) to assess service providers. Educational and training services, in cooperation with educational and training service providers, to develop curricula and programs according to labor market requirements.
The minister indicated that the ministry continues to work on developing curricula for all technical education disciplines in accordance with the competency methodology, which aims to qualify technical education graduates for the fields and specializations required in the labor market, in addition to expanding the establishment of applied technology schools, which represent an integrated educational system. To raise the level of its educational services to keep pace with the best educational systems in the world, noting that the number of applied technology schools is now 34 and it is targeted to reach 40 schools next September, in addition to preparing and qualifying teachers according to the latest systems and standards, Through accredited trainings, implemented by experts from inside and outside Egypt; To prepare qualified graduates in the disciplines needed by the labor market, explaining that in this context, the ministry has provided a number of memoranda of understanding with the (Egypt Manpower) project; To establish six international schools for applied technology in five governorates: Alexandria - Sharkia - Giza - Minya - Assiut.
Dr. Tarek Shawky added that the cooperation between the “Egypt Workforce” project funded by the United States Agency for International Development, ministries, and relevant institutions in the public and private sectors aims to support the development of the technical education and vocational training system in Egypt. To meet the changing needs of the growing labor market, by providing aspects of technical support, capacity building, and training for students, teachers and administrators in technical schools, training and employment centers; As well as private companies, business associations and NGOs.
The minister explained that one of the most important objectives of this project: improving the quality of the technical education and vocational training system and its compatibility with the requirements of the labor market, in addition to enhancing the participation of the private sector in the development of the workforce, appreciating the tireless and sincere efforts of all ministries and state agencies; To reach a high degree of coordination with international bodies; To determine the tasks assigned to each of them, towards development programs, without interference or duplication.
At the conclusion of his speech, Dr. Tarek Shawky thanked Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, and all the ministers and officials participating in this event for their continuous support for the various initiatives of the ministry, and he also thanked and appreciated all the international partners who support this important project, especially the American ambassador Cairo, and a representative of the US Agency for Development.
Leslie Reed expressed her happiness to cooperate with the Egyptian government in its various sectors to achieve economic reform and sustainable development goals, and through the partnership, we seek to support the labor market and human capabilities on a permanent basis to meet the challenges of the labor market and achieve Flexibility, bridging the gender gap and achieving stability for Egypt’s future. The US Agency for International Development also contributes to providing programs that contribute to improving the efficiency of the labor market, bridging the gap between supply and demand, and developing technical education in line with the objectives of the 2030 strategy.