Minister of Education Discusses New Horizons for Educational Cooperation with His Japanese Counterpart
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, received Mr. Yohei Matsumoto, Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting reflects the strength of the Egyptian-Japanese partnership and underscores the prominent position of education as a key pillar of strategic cooperation between the two countries. The meeting was held in accordance with the directives of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to further deepen educational cooperation with Japan, supporting the development of the educational system and building human capacity.
During the meeting, the Minister of Education welcomed his Japanese counterpart, expressing his pleasure at this visit, which represents a significant milestone in bilateral relations. He emphasized that cooperation with Japan in the field of education is no longer limited to the exchange of expertise but has evolved into a comprehensive applied model reflecting a shared vision for human development and skills enhancement from the early stages of education.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif affirmed that Japan is a strategic partner of Egypt in the field of education through a number of educational projects, most notably the Egyptian-Japanese Schools. He pointed to the directives of His Excellency the President of the Republic to expand this model to 500 schools within five years, working to implement this according to a well-defined plan and at an accelerated pace. He also mentioned the introduction of Japanese language instruction in Egyptian-Japanese Schools, starting next academic year with its implementation in 10 schools as a first phase.
The Minister reviewed areas of cooperation between the two sides, including the teaching of programming and artificial intelligence. He emphasized that the experience has achieved tangible positive results in developing students' skills, which has encouraged the Ministry to expand the integration of programming into the technical education system, in line with labor market needs and the demands of the digital revolution. He noted that within the next two years, approximately five million students will be studying programming using artificial intelligence platforms, as part of building digital capabilities and developing thinking skills, thus supporting the preparation of qualified personnel capable of meeting the demands of the future labor market.
Regarding cooperation in curriculum development, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif noted the collaboration in developing mathematics and science curricula to ensure their full alignment with the learning outcomes of the curricula adopted in Japan. He pointed out that the updated mathematics curriculum has already been implemented in the first grade of primary school this academic year.
Concerning strengthening cooperation in supporting and educating people with special needs, the Minister emphasized the Ministry's commitment to this vital issue and its keenness to benefit from Japanese expertise in developing educational programs and creating supportive school environments for this group. He mentioned the Tenth of Ramadan Center as a pilot project, with plans to build upon it by establishing other specialized centers for the care and education of people with special needs.
The Minister also highlighted the ongoing cooperation in the professional development of teachers, aimed at qualifying them to teach curricula according to Japanese standards and to implement Japanese teaching methods and techniques. This is being done in cooperation with Hiroshima University and the Egyptian-Japanese University in Egypt, in partnership with the Professional Academy for Teachers.
The Minister emphasized the importance of cooperation in supporting the educational system by increasing the number of Japanese experts working in Egypt. This would contribute to transferring advanced educational expertise, supporting the practical application of the Japanese educational model, and strengthening the sustainability of the educational partnership between the two sides.
For his part, Mr. Yohei Matsumoto, Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, expressed his pleasure and pride in visiting the Arab Republic of Egypt, his first foreign visit since assuming his post, and in meeting with His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. He stressed the importance of this meeting in exchanging visions and perspectives and enhancing mutual understanding on ways to develop educational cooperation between the two countries.
The Japanese Minister praised the high regard he witnessed in Egypt for Japanese education and the role this cooperation plays in supporting the education of Egyptian children. He noted that the tangible results achieved from implementing the Japanese educational experience in Egypt represent an important foundation for mutual benefit, both in developing the experience within Egypt and in drawing lessons that contribute to identifying areas for future improvement in Japanese education itself. He expressed his hope for deepening cooperation between the two countries in the future.
The Japanese minister also welcomed the idea of increasing the number of Japanese experts working in Egypt, affirming his country's readiness to exert the necessary efforts to support this direction, which would contribute to deepening educational cooperation and enhancing the exchange of expertise between the two sides.
Both sides agreed to form a small working group to follow up on the implementation of the agreed-upon areas of cooperation, paving the way for a new phase of educational partnership based on the exchange of expertise and the development of joint working mechanisms.
The meeting was attended on the Japanese side by Mr. Iwai Fumio, Ambassador of Japan to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Kitayama Koji, Director-General of International Affairs at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr. Matsuura Shigekazu, Deputy Director-General of the Higher Education Sector, Mr. Takahashi Ichiro, Education Reform Coordinator at the Department of International Affairs in the General Secretariat of the Minister, Ms. Yoshimura Kana, Head of Unit at the Department of International Affairs in the General Secretariat of the Minister, along with Mr. Kashiwabara Takahiro and Mr. Kobataki Yasuo, Secretaries to the Minister, Ms. Yokota Yuko, Senior Press Specialist at the Ministry, Mr. Kido Ryosuke, an employee at the Department of International Affairs in the General Secretariat of the Minister, and a delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).