Minister of Education Receives British Ambassador and Director of the British Council in Cairo
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, today received Mr. Gareth Bailey, British Ambassador to Cairo, and Mr. Mark Howard, Director of the British Council in Egypt, to discuss strengthening cooperation on joint educational projects.
At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif emphasized the depth of the strategic and historical relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Kingdom, noting that cooperation in the field of education represents one of the main pillars of relations between the two countries and reflects a shared commitment to supporting investment in education to achieve sustainable development and build a better future.
The Minister indicated that the Ministry attaches great importance to this cooperation in order to develop the education system in Egypt according to the latest international standards, stressing that Egypt is keen to expand the scope of this partnership to include more initiatives that will consolidate the position of education as a key driver of development.
The Minister emphasized the importance of building a strong educational foundation for primary school students, as this is the foundation for any sustainable development process. He noted that he visited a large number of schools throughout the academic year to monitor the regularity of the educational process on the ground. He explained that the measures taken by the Ministry at the beginning of the year, most notably reducing class sizes to less than 50 students per class and providing teachers for core subjects in all schools nationwide, have resulted in a significant increase in student attendance, reaching approximately 90% since the beginning of the school year. This represents a positive indicator that can be built upon to achieve qualitative leaps in various aspects of the educational process. As part of improving school performance, the Minister announced the creation of a central quality unit in each education directorate. This unit will consist of retired teaching staff from directorate, department, and school directorates, in recognition of their extensive and influential experience. These units will conduct field visits to evaluate educational performance, analyze school conditions, identify strengths and needs, and submit evaluation results to the Ministry, which will prepare targeted action plans and provide directorates with detailed reports to ensure continuous improvement based on scientific and objective foundations.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif also valued the cooperation with the British Council, which has directly contributed to building teachers' capacities through advanced training programs that have benefited thousands of teachers across various governorates, particularly in the field of English. The British Council's programs have also contributed to enhancing students' language skills by improving their English proficiency and developing their abilities for critical thinking and teamwork. They also prepare them to interact with modern educational environments based on interaction and participation, which has contributed to improving the quality of learning outcomes.
For his part, British Ambassador to Cairo Gareth Bailey emphasized that the educational partnership between the two countries represents a successful model of international cooperation. He noted that education is a pivotal point in the history of British-Egyptian relations, and that the United Kingdom appreciates the significant efforts made by the Ministry of Education and Technical Education in Egypt, which are clearly demonstrated by the effective measures taken by the Ministry, both in reducing student density in classrooms and improving the learning environment through curriculum development and infrastructure.
The Ambassador expressed his pride in the existing cooperation with Egypt, a strong and ambitious partner in the field of education, with promising human potential and a clear vision for development. He emphasized that the United Kingdom is committed to continuing this constructive cooperation to achieve the aspirations of future generations and enhance the opportunities for Egyptian students in education, work, and innovation.
The meeting discussed enhancing cooperation between the Egyptian Ministry of Education and Technical Education and the United Kingdom on several important strategic topics, including developing English language curriculum content in cooperation with the British Council, enhancing English language teaching by implementing programs to improve the level of English language teaching in schools, ensuring quality and evaluating schools, and building the professional capacities of teachers with a focus on modern teaching methods.