Egypt denies fake news spreading in 6 days

CAIRO – 19 February 2019: The information Center of the Cabinet revealed that 12 rumors spread on social media during six days, including rumors about issuing an electronic bill, forcing students to buy tablets, and changing the dollar price in the general budget.

Also, a rumor about expired intestinal parasites vaccination that caused allergy to students and another one about the Ministry of Education imposing a unified uniform on teachers have recently spread. Additionally, a rumor saying that a fire broke out at a solar plant in Benban Solar Project has been circulated.

According to a statement issued by the Finance Ministry, the ministry will issue a draft law for the unified tax procedures bill, not for the issuance of an electronic bill. The ministry pointed out that the draft prepares for the deployment of electronic devices and systems to monitor sales, linking them with the tax authority to collect the due taxes.

The ministry also denied the issuance a LE 100 coin in the market, asserting that the Ministry of Finance has no intention to issue such a coin. It also denied changing the exchange rate of the dollar from LE17.25 in the general budget for the current fiscal year to LE18 in its semi-annual report on economic and financial performance for 2018/2019.

The Ministry of Education also denied forcing the students of the home system to buy tablets from the ministry, stressing that the tablet is paid by the state in full with the students being charged only LE 100 as insurance fees. The ministry also denied rumors about the theft of tablets from a high school in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate.

The Education Ministry denied rumors about imposing unified uniforms on school teachers, and about charging teachers 50 percent of the cost of this uniform.

The Ministry of Health denied rumors that the vaccination of intestinal parasites has expired and that it caused allergy to students, adding that this rumor aims to alarm students and parents.

The Electricity Ministry denied a rumor about a fire at a solar plant in Benban solar energy project, stressing that all stations of this giant project are safe.

In July, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi warned against false news clarifying that more than 21,000 rumors have been propagated over a period of three months. The president also asked people to be cautious of calls that inherently aim at the collapse of the Egyptian state. This came in the 66th anniversary of July 23 Revolution that ended the monarchy in 1952.