Minister of Education Receives His Palestinian Counterpart
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, received his counterpart, Dr. Amjad Barham, Minister of Education and Higher Education. The meeting was attended by Ambassador Diab Al-Louh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Arab Republic of Egypt; Counselor Jihad Al-Qudra, Senior Counselor at the Embassy; Counselor Naji Al-Naji, Cultural Counselor; and Dr. Iyad Abu Al-Honoud, Head of Academic and Research Affairs at the Embassy.
On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Hanem Ahmed, Advisor to the Minister for International Relations; Ms. Amira Awad, Ministry Coordinator for United Nations Organizations; and Randa Salah, Director of Cultural Relations and Expatriates.
At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif emphasized that the relationship between Egypt and Palestine has never been merely political or diplomatic, but rather a relationship of brotherhood and shared destiny spanning many years. He said, "We are always with you, heart and soul. Before we are partners in any official cooperation, you are part of us." He expressed all necessary support for the Palestinian people in the field of education, and his support for the Palestinian people's efforts to strengthen their educational system in the face of current challenges.
For his part, Dr. Amjad Barham, Palestinian Minister of Education and Higher Education, expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to the Arab Republic of Egypt, its leadership, government, and people, headed by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, for their historic and ongoing role in supporting the Palestinian cause, especially in the field of education.
He said, "We always feel in Egypt that we are among our people, and what Egypt provides is not strange to our brothers, whom we consider our true extension."
The Palestinian Minister of Education and Higher Education said, "For Palestinians, education is not just a right, but a means of resistance and survival, despite the difficult circumstances we live in amid the current challenges. Our parents always urge us to learn because it is the only way to achieve our hopes."
The Palestinian Minister of Education reviewed the extent of the destruction suffered by the education sector in Gaza during the recent aggression, saying, "More than 95% of schools were destroyed, with 293 of 309 schools completely or partially out of service. Universities were also bombed, and approximately 85% of their buildings were destroyed. There are more than 720,000 students in the Gaza Strip, and approximately 700,000 of them have been deprived of their right to education."
The Palestinian Minister indicated that approximately 20,000 Palestinian students in school, in addition to 4,500 university students, faced a complete interruption of education during the war. However, the Ministry was able to restart the educational process through e-learning, as virtual schools and educational centers were established despite the daily challenges. and the changes imposed as a result of repeated displacement and the ongoing destruction of infrastructure.
The Palestinian Minister appreciated Egypt's steadfast and supportive stance in all fields, emphasizing the importance of Egypt's supportive role in Palestinian education, especially in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression, which has led to widespread destruction of the educational infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. He called for expanding cooperation in the fields of e-learning, secondary education, and technical education.
The meeting discussed providing additional support from the Egyptian side through the establishment of educational centers to support e-learning, especially in basic subjects such as mathematics, science, and languages. Approval for the opening of these educational centers was also discussed, as was allowing Palestinian teachers residing in Egypt with their families to contribute to providing educational lessons, in support of e-learning for Palestinian students inside and outside Palestine.
The meeting also addressed last year's successful experience in organizing the General Secondary Education (Thanawiya) exam for Palestinian students in Egypt. More than 1,350 students sat for the exam in Egyptian public schools, with full support and coordination from the Egyptian government. This experience had a significant impact on students' psychological and academic support. Dr. Amjad Barham expressed his hope that the experience would be repeated this year, especially since the number of Palestinian students taking the exam in Egypt is estimated at between 1,800 and 1,900.
For his part, Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif affirmed that the Ministry of Education is fully prepared to provide all forms of support and assistance to the Palestinian people in various educational fields and to strengthen the capabilities of the Palestinian education system to ensure that Palestinian students receive quality and sustainable education in the face of current challenges and difficulties.