Today, Monday, Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, received a high-level delegation from the European Investment Bank, to discuss ways to enhance areas of joint cooperation and support efforts made to develop the technical education sector and expand applied technology schools.
The European Investment Bank delegation included Mr. Lionel Rapay, Director of the European Enlargement and Neighborhood Department, Mr. Ulrich Brunhuber, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Operations Sector, and a number of bank officials. Dalia Sadiq, Assistant Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, also participated to follow up on coordination of cooperation with the European Investment Bank.
On the part of the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, Ambassador Yasser Othman, Advisor to the Minister for International Relations and Agreements, Dr. Amr Basila, Head of the Central Administration for the Development of Technical Education and Director of the Operation and Management Unit of Applied Technology Schools, and Iman Yassin, Director of the General Administration for International Relations, attended.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister of Education and Technical Education, Mohamed Abdel Latif, appreciated the fruitful cooperation paths with the European side in various educational projects.
Fundamental reforms
The Minister of Education and Technical Education, Mohamed Abdel Latif, reviewed the efforts made by the ministry during the past months, which included the broad implementation of a package of fundamental reforms aimed at addressing a number of challenges facing the educational system.
Introducing programming and artificial intelligence curricula for the first year of secondary school for the first time
The Minister of Education and Technical Education also indicated the introduction of programming and artificial intelligence curricula for the first time in the first year of secondary school in cooperation with Japan through the “Kerio” platform, stressing that the Ministry aims for secondary school students to master programming skills, in light of the increasing dependence of various jobs in various sectors on programming.
Expanding the base of applied technology schools in various specializations
The Minister of Education and Technical Education, Mohamed Abdel Latif, also reviewed the Ministry’s vision to develop the technical education sector through partnership with the private sector and expansion of international companies to grant graduates of technical education internationally accredited certificates, pointing to the current cooperation with Italy in 89 applied technology schools, as well as cooperation with Austria in the specialty of hospitality and hotels. He also pointed to the existing efforts to strengthen cooperation with Germany and Singapore, aiming to expand the base of applied technology schools in various specializations through international partnerships.
Egypt has 1,230 technical education schools, and the Ministry seeks to raise their efficiency
The Minister of Education and Technical Education confirmed that Egypt has 1,230 technical education schools that the Ministry seeks to raise their efficiency and equip in accordance with international standards, noting that the technical education sector represents a golden opportunity for cooperation with the European Investment Bank, given the increasing global need for trained workers at the level of European and Middle Eastern countries.
The educational system serves 25 million students
The Minister of Education and Technical Education indicated that the Ministry is focusing its efforts on implementing strategic projects that are commensurate with the size of the educational system that serves 25 million students, and ultimately reflect on the improvement of the educational system. In this context, he praised the fruitful cooperation with a number of European countries in the technical education sector.
Strengthening cooperation with the European Investment Bank in developing technical education schools
The Minister of Education and Technical Education expressed the Ministry’s aspiration to enhance cooperation with the European Investment Bank in developing technical education schools and expanding applied technology schools.
For their part, members of the European Investment Bank delegation expressed their appreciation for the great efforts made by Egypt in the education and technical education system, stressing the bank’s keenness to enhance ways of cooperation during the coming period in various educational projects, especially with regard to infrastructure, equipment and technical support.
They also affirmed the bank’s readiness to enhance the impact of the partnerships achieved by the Ministry of Education with the European side, represented by applied technology schools.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister expressed his appreciation to the European Investment Bank delegation and the efforts made to support cooperation with Egypt, stressing the Ministry’s aspiration to strengthen the Egyptian-European partnership during the coming period in order to meet the objectives of the national strategy to develop the education sector and improve the quality of educational services.
