Back to school in Egypt: Millions of students begin 2024/25 second semester

CAIRO – 9 February 2025: As the sun rose on a bright Sunday morning, schools across Egypt buzzed with excitement and anticipation, welcoming students for the first week of the second semester.

Students from kindergarten to the third year of secondary school returned to their classrooms after a well-deserved break.

The Ministry of Education emphasized the importance of discipline, attendance, and commitment as students re-entered their academic routines.

Schools welcomed students with open arms, ready to foster an environment conducive to learning and growth.

Parents dropped off their children, some with a hint of nostalgia, while others beamed with pride as their little ones embarked on a new term filled with promise.

Weather is cold across Egypt but the atmosphere was warm, with friends reuniting, sharing stories of their holidays, and eagerly discussing the subjects they would tackle in the coming months.

In a notable achievement, Minister of Education Mohamed Abdel Latif recently announced addressing student overcrowding, reducing class sizes to fewer than 50 students nationwide.

Additionally, nearly 98,000 new classrooms have been created, and solutions have been implemented to overcome teacher shortages, the minister said.

As a result, every school in Egypt currently has at least one qualified teacher for each core subject.

To ensure a smooth start, the ministry has urged schools to monitor attendance closely, reinforcing the need for all staff and students to adhere to the schedule, which will take into consideration Ramadan timings.

Moreover, the timely distribution of textbooks was a top priority, with schools tasked to ensure that every student received the necessary materials to support their learning journey. The promise of a fresh start coupled with the assurance of resources has set the stage for a productive semester ahead.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, as of December 2023, the total number of students in Egyptian schools reached more than 25.6 million, representing nearly quarter of the country’s population.