Plan set to boost technical education in Egypt

CAIRO – 11 June 2018: Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawki signed on Sunday cooperation protocols with several private companies to implement the “Egypt Makers” initiative, under the slogan “Learn.. Improve.. Work” to boost technical education in Egypt.

The Ministry of Education held a conference to sign protocols with private companies to support the technical education, in the attendance of President's Assistant for National and Strategic Projects Ibrahim Mahlab, State Minister of Military Production Mohamed Saeed el Assar, Minister of Electricity and Renewable energy Mohamed Shaker and Minister of Trade and Industry Tariq Kabil.

In this regard, Shawki said that the cooperation protocols aim to advance the technical education, raise the students’ production skills, prepare them for jobs and tackle unemployment, where partners in the protocols will provide students with job opportunities after graduating from schools.

He added that the ministry, in cooperation with the private sector, seeks to assure the quality of technical education to build a strong industrial sector that is able to achieve Egypt's 2030 vision in line with international quality standards and market needs.

He referred that 55 percent of students enroll in technical education, and the problem in the technical education is caused by the lack of quality, stressing that if the quality is enhanced, Egypt will not depend on expatriate workers.

He further explained that a new plan to improve technical education in Egypt will be set within six weeks.

The future of technical education in Egypt received a significant boost in the recent period as Egypt continues to work towards achieving economic diversification, vocational education and trainings that are especially needed to bridge the skills gap in the market.

Previously, a seven-day workshop for 1,300 Egyptian technical school teachers and administrators from 60 vocational schools in 11 governorates across Egypt was set up.

The workshop, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Education and Technical Education (MOETE), connected technical schools to the private sector and strengthened the career guidance skills of all participants, giving them better tools to help prepare the next generation of Egypt’s workforce.

According to U.S. Embassy Cairo Chargé d’Affaires Thomas H. Goldberger, “One of Egypt’s greatest resources is the potential of its workforce. We believe in investing in Egypt, and we believe that this project is a valuable investment in the human resources that Egypt needs for its future economy.”

The workshop was part of USAID’s Workforce Improvement and Skills Enhancement (WISE) project, which works with the private sector to determine workforce needs, prepare students to join the workforce and connect students with potential employers.

Siemens Company and the Germany’s Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ) partnered up in November 2017 to develop Zein Al Abedin Technical School in Cairo, based on the German dual education model, as studies show a strong correlation between vocational and technical education in a country and building a sustainable, diversified economy.

The plan includes providing the school with modern technological equipment and learning solutions, remodeling the curriculum to improve the quality of technical education in Egypt.

Additionally, Egypt and France signed in 2016 a memorandum of understanding to boost technical education.