Egypt signs protocol to regulate American Diploma’s certificate

CAIRO – 16 September 2018: Minister of Education Tarek Shawki signed on Sunday a protocol to regulate the American Diploma in Egypt in accordance with the Egyptian Education Law, as part of the ministry’s initiative to impose rules on all international certificates in Egypt.

Spokesman of the Ministry of Education Ahmed Khairy referred that Shawky signed on June 3 a protocol of cooperation with the British International Schools Association to organize its work in accordance with the Egyptian Education Law.

Khairy added that the Ministry of Education aims to organize all diploma related procedures inside Egypt, including exams and assessment, through several accrediting agencies as part of its efforts to achieve good quality of education.

The accrediting agencies include Middle States of Colleges and School Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools and AdvancED.

In the same context, international British schools in Egypt will be operating according to the local education laws and under the complete supervision of the ministry, Ministry of Education announced on Saturday.

As per the protocol signed on June 3, the foreigner staff working at schools will be dealt with according to the Egyptian labor law, and the Ministry of Education will ensure that the curriculum reflects and commits to the Egyptian identity with its traditions and customs.

In early April, the Ministry of Education signed an agreement with the British Council and representatives from other relevant bodies offering the international general certificates of secondary education, including Cambridge, Pearson, Edexcel and Oxford, to regulate the testing process of Egypt’s international schools.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi approved on August 5, 2018, law no. 162 of 2018 to establish and regulate branches of foreign universities and educational institutions in Egypt to improve the quality of higher education in Egypt.

The bill aims at developing higher education and scientific research system in Egypt to be equivalent to the systems applied in advanced countries, while keeping the national identity of Egyptian students.

Under the law, the international branch of a university shall be committed to Egyptian provisions and shall notify the specialized ministry with the university's curricula; criteria to accept students in a university branch will be the same as those of the main university.

Branch campuses will be required to enroll a percentage of Egyptian students and employ a percentage of Egyptian staff in administrative and teaching positions.

All certificates awarded by the branch shall be recognized in the country of the main university; additionally, there will be an annual allocation of grants to students, allowing Egyptians to study or train at the main foreign university.

Each branch campus is required to submit a five-year plan with the expected number of students and costs. The branch will fall under the supervision of the council set up by the Ministry of Higher Education to monitor quality.

The law stipulates that the foreign university may entrust entities in Egypt through a signed contract to establish its branch in Egypt and afford its operation. The minister of higher education shall establish a committee of representatives of ministries and concerned agencies to consider and study the request to construct the branch.