Sisi asserts State's support for students with special needs

CAIRO – 1 October 2018: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi attended on Monday the first Arab forum for special education schools held in Sharm El Sheikh City.

The forum began with a presentation given on the Egyptian Ministry of Education’s efforts to empower students with special needs.

A documentary was displayed to show the State’s efforts in order to broaden the students’ chances of more creative and productive education to help them integrate into the society.

The documentary highlighted the President’s call to designate current year of 2018 as the year of people with disabilities.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi was keen to mention that the state pays great attention to people with special needs for confidence in their capabilities and for the necessity of providing suitable training and rehabilitation services and equal chances to enable them to effectively participate in the society.

Addressing the 1st Arab forum for special education schools in Sharm El Sheikh, Sisi said disability is a social issue that requires collaborative efforts from the government, civil society organizations and the private sector.

"Societal participation is extremely required as development can't be achieved in all sectors without a real and effective societal participation," Sisi said.

Abdel Fattah El Sisi allocated EGP 500 million from the Tahiya Masr (Long Live Egypt) fund for supporting people with special needs.

Launching the first Arab forum for special education schools in Sharm El sheikh, Sisi said that the amount would be at the disposal of Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawqi to serve the ministry's project for people with special needs.

The President revealed that Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki was tasked with establishing a center for serving people with special needs as the state pays great attention to them.