Minister of Education stop licensing nternational schools
By Safaa Abdoun /Daily News Egypt June 28, 2010, 4:57 pm
CAIRO: The Ministry of Education will stop giving licenses to new international schools in Egypt and will review the existing ones, Minister Ahmed Zaki Badr said.
The aim of this decision is to put back these schools — whose number is estimated to be in hundreds — under the supervision of the ministry, according to state-run paper Al-Ahram Al-Masaay.
“No country in the entire world has this amount of international schools and certificates,” the paper quoted the minister as saying.
The minister also added that this type of education would be limited to two types of foreign students in Egypt, particularly children of diplomats or of Egyptians working abroad.
The press office at the Ministry of Education confirmed Badr’s statements, noting that official procedures are underway without giving further details.
According to Badr’s latest decision, students attending those international schools would be required to study Arabic and religion. They would follow their counterparts in Egyptian schools in observing the tradition of saluting the flag and singing the national anthem in the morning.
International schools in Egypt have forever been criticized for making students lose touch with their country and their language.
"You can see now that there are a lot of young people in Egypt nowadays who receive a foreign education, they can barely speak Arabic and barely know anything about their country, meanwhile their parents are happy, so by default they grow up having this loyalty to that country, said Saeed Sadek, professor of sociology at the American University in Cairo.
International schools offer alternatives to the Egyptian education system and high school certificate, the thanawiya amma. They are known for offering quality education and for their expensive fees.
The increase in the number of schools offering international certificates is mainly credited to a 1997 decree by the ministry of education that set a number of requirements for licensing such schools.
In a previous interview with Daily News Egypt, Wagdy Afifi, deputy minister for high school education and the head of the central administration for private education, said, “First of all is the approval of the Authority for Educational Buildings, as there are requirements for the measurements of the classrooms, playgrounds, courts, ventilation, lightening and other factors which all have to meet the international standards.”
“Second is an approval of an international accreditation agency.
“Third is an evaluation by experts and consultants at the ministry of the textbooks and syllabi to be taught at the school as their content has to be equivalent to thanawiya Amma.
“If they are approved, we go on to the fourth step which is an examination of the school from a body of administrators, accountants, technicians, lawyers and an engineer from the Authority for Educational Buildings.
“Afterwards the Committee for International Schools Affairs meets and evaluates and examines the school’s file and accordingly grants it the license or rejects its request,” he explained.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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I totally agree with this, egypt has it own local curriculum which is adapted to the characteristic of the people.We should not duplicate all things from west which does not match to our culture, we can be great if we work hard like other countries, some big moslem countries already built and applied their own systems, or other asia countries.
Posts: 46 | From: on your plate | Registered: Jul 2010
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But Westerners rely on International qualifications that are globally transferable. There is no point a British child getting an Egyptian Certificate of Education and then trying to get into Oxford University with it.
Some children are only here for a year and then will move on to another foreign country where it will be necessary that they enter in to the same system for consistency.
Quite logical.
But I do agree the Ministry should be involved as some schools here are so poorly operated with a very poor level of education being delivered.
And that is a direct opinion given to me from a mother who is currently in the process of moving her daughter from one International school to another due to poor administration and a high turn over in staff due to bad management.
Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
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That's why it is good time for egypt to upgrade the education system included capacity building for the teachers, structure and infrastructure for schools, fixed the curriculum and I hope all egyptian people especially poor families still can send their children to attend schools by giving scholarships or provide reduction in tutition fees.
After the government upgraded the education system package above, then it needs evaluation and monitoring in the process for achieving the accreditation.
Posts: 46 | From: on your plate | Registered: Jul 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Bollock: That's why it is good time for egypt to upgrade the education system included capacity building for the teachers, structure and infrastructure for schools, fixed the curriculum and I hope all egyptian people especially poor families still can send their children to attend schools by giving scholarships or provide reduction in tutition fees.
After the government upgraded the education system package above, then it needs evaluation and monitoring in the process for achieving the accreditation.
I totally agree. The education system is way too important to not be monitored effectively.
I have just met a friend for coffee who is taking her child out of an Egyptian school and putting her in an American school as she is just plain sick of all the holidays and school closures!! Naturally she will have to pay a hell of a lot more money but she understands the value of a structured education system.
Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Bollock: That's why it is good time for egypt to upgrade the education system included capacity building for the teachers, structure and infrastructure for schools, fixed the curriculum and I hope all egyptian people especially poor families still can send their children to attend schools by giving scholarships or provide reduction in tutition fees.
After the government upgraded the education system package above, then it needs evaluation and monitoring in the process for achieving the accreditation.
In otherwords you want Egypt to apply the "No child left a dime" ideology.
Posts: 2280 | Registered: Oct 2009
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A good start would be: train teachers properly, pay them properly, make classes smaller, and have an organized school year which is not beset with random short notice holidays, sports days and the like.
May even be worth paying pupils to turn up to school - I believe in some parts of Egypt parents prefer their kids to go out begging from tourists rather than send them to school.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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Great ideas, but how is Egypt going to come up with the money for those ideas?
I do believe Quranic Schools and Mosques should be offering tutoring after school hours. Possibly the more enlightened Egyptians should combine efforts of Coptic Churches and Mosques create "interfaith children activity centers" in which to offer educational services.
Combining the two faiths under one roof might help these young folks with understanding their religious practices are more cultural than anything else.
Then possibly the Ministry of Education can spend less time worry about watering down of culture by private schools and more about their own "Accountability to tax payers".
I think the Ministry of Education is purely punting.
Posts: 2280 | Registered: Oct 2009
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It would be a good use of money from USAid and China! They need some creative thinking! Maybe they could have a sort of 'investment bond' for foreigners wanting to stay here - sponsor a teacher or something! Get the foreigner to cover the training and salary of a teacher for 5 years in exchange for a permanent residence!
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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The issue of education is hugely overrated. No one ever askes Bill Gates for his diploma, right? Or Donald Trump, for that matter. Or did the Hilton girl complete any Masters or does anyone care?
On the other hand the UK has one of the best educational systems in the world, I've heard, so good they actually list it among export industries. And....? (I mean ahemm... not many of those Brits up there, except in positions where oratory skills count ;D )
Anything up to graduate levelis more or less a specific form of day care, the most important issue being - if the child enjoys his time or no. Now here the gov. schools in Egypt could do something because I do not know one single little person who does .
Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005
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"Combining the two faiths under one roof.."
metinoot never in the world believed YOU can be SO idealistic! Have you tried combining a hawk and a chicken in one room??? (No literal associations here)
Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by nevermind: "Combining the two faiths under one roof.."
metinoot never in the world believed YOU can be SO idealistic! Have you tried combining a hawk and a chicken in one room??? (No literal associations here)
Really odd you state that you live in Menoufia.
Because there is summer camps for football in which some of the local Sheiks and Priests take part in giving lectures of "sportsmanship".
I've been told Shebin is almost half Coptic, but the women do cover like Muslim women do but in a different style.
There is also a local pool that is outdoors, of which the local Sheiks and Priests decide and negotiate when Coptic and Muslim girls have their swimming lessons. They are attempting to have mixed groups which is easy when they are young but when girls start veiling at puberty there is the idea that coptic and muslim girls should be separate.
If you are going to raise your children in Shebin you'll start to notice how the two religious leadership groups are attempting to keep things civil because of the Bedouin and Saeedi populations who retired there after the military and bought sizeable small farms. The Fallahein attempt to keep the bullshit from these two groups to a low roar.
Posts: 2280 | Registered: Oct 2009
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Oh, and Netanyahu and Abbas shake hands! Give me a break, metinoot...
Of course there are attempts to civilisation at higher levels of enlightenment, or politics, but on people level... Then again on personal level all is mostly OK. Friends are friends and you do not debate their faith.
As far as I know things are quite civilised here around, all quarrels strictly petty level home crime - disputes over land etc, where knives sometimes come out. But the two groups do keep maximum separation in the everyday life.
A lot of dressing I think is influenced by cultural-geographic habits rather than religion. Everywhere in the world in province women cover up more. So, yes, coptic girls tend to wear long skirts, long sleeves and minimum neckline. They just do not wear hijabs. While their mums look quite coptic-proud in their western-looking costumes, with 3/4 skirts and short sleeves.
On the other hand mini skirts paired with greek sandals are equally popular among younger ones, I guess rules are also easier until you reach puberty But they do wear kind of leggings under.
Another thing to note is that mostly no one here accepts religion knowingly. They are simply born into it, it is bestowed upon them, and this creates different levels of adhesion later when they actually start thinking about it. Some become quite indifferent, follow the tradition rather than practice faith. Not so much among the copts, though, because they feel they are the underdog so turning your back and ignoring would look something like a treason. So they stick to theirs! Easier for muslims, the dominant group (dominant on state level, I mean, here in Shebin indeed copts seem quite numerous).
Not that this here has much to do with education, of course Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005
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LOL… What a bunch of hogwash !!! I think the Minister of Education should first worry about Egypt’s public schools. I am willing to bet that the VERY worst of these private schools is much better than the average public school. What this is really all about is CONTROL. Yes that’s what Egypt really needs…for all of its schools to follow the ingenious state controlled public education curriculum. Can’t you see how well it is working??? Just memorize the mind-numbing state censored textbooks and regurgitate whatever gibberish is in them for the exam. No critical thinking, no independent thought, no allowing for the students to think for themselves and question any form of knowledge! That has been working great for the last 60 years! We should keep it up and streamline all the schools under the same system. Oh yeah lets salute the flag now!
Posts: 37 | From: USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Egypt's educational system is, by design, a charade because the only children with any real chance at getting into a good university program come from families with enough money to educate them in English so they can score high enough on the SATs.
Perhaps what Egyptian authorities should do is concern themselves with the multitudes of illegal private schools that take tuition and fees without being able to deliver a diploma worth more than the paper it's printed on.
Posts: 758 | From: Here. There. Everywhere. | Registered: Mar 2008
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But they do wear kind of leggings under.
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