Egypt embarks on long-term education reform programme

Education Minister Mahmoud Abou Nasr unveiled on Saturday a long-term plan to improve education in Egypt, which has been deteriorating for years, Al-Ahram daily reported.

In a five-hour meeting with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Abou Nasr explained that the plan would commence its preliminary stage from 2014 to 2017, and it would last until 2030.

The plan includes the introduction of a nutrition programme in all public schools, eliminating illiteracy, and reducing the number of students dropping out of school.

Free extra classes will be offered, he added. The plan also aims to prepare 50,000 to 60,000 teaching graduates over the course of two years to work in Gulf states suffering from a lack of competent teachers, in addition to preparing graduates for domestic teaching jobs.

El-Sisi said that supporting cooperation between African nations in education was also necessary, calling for sending education experts to African states.