Egypt’s armed forces provide 6,000 school seats, complete maintenance work

CAIRO – 14 December 2018: Following president Abdel fatah al-Sisi directions, the armed forces has carried out maintenance and restoration works for a number of schools in Alexandria.

In a Thursday statement, the Northern Military Region announced that 6,000 school seats were provided for students of the most intensive schools.

The statement went on to explain that the forces have contributed well to the development of the educational process in Egypt. Officials in Alexandria stated that the armed forces have been helpful during the past period, as they contributed to ease the education challenges in Egypt.

Students and citizens thanked the armed forces for the vital role they played to enhance education.

In July, Sisi declared 2019 the year of education during the second day of the youth conference held at Cairo University.

He pointed out that human development is a key pillar of the government’s vision; hence, his administration’s human development strategy will not only focus on education, but will also include health, culture and sports.

In September, the Ministry of Education announced its plan to develop the educational system in Egypt to the committee in charge at the Parliament.

The new system includes changing the Thanaweya Amma system that also requires the Supreme Council of Universities to change the admission requirements for each college.

Thanaweya Amma is the third and final year of high school; it qualifies students for college. Students’ grades have been determined upon their final exams' results only, making their total score the only determinant for their admission in different colleges without any admission tests or personal interviews.

The ministry plans to make students take multiple exams, while preserving the booklet format implemented in the academic year 2016-2017, which had almost eradicated cheating common in the former format.

The former format required memorization rather than comprehension of the curriculum, which had created a huge informal sector of private lessons taught by schoolteachers who often purposefully neglected their role in class to push students to take such lessons.

The booklet format contains only multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short answer questions to be answered in one exam sheet, unlike the former format comprising an answer sheet and a question sheet.

Teachers of Thanaweya Amma will receive different trainings; also, the contracts and administrative affairs of teachers will be restructured to improve their living and professional conditions.