Egyptian Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif is facing criticism from parents and teachers over his recent decisions, despite having the ability to make popular choices. At a recent education session at the Egypt 2026 forum, there was controversy surrounding the first month's exams and ongoing evaluations, as well as the start of the academic year on September 12, instead of October. Many are questioning why the minister is insisting on these decisions, which are causing frustration among stakeholders.
If the minister were to change the start date to October or reduce evaluations from weekly to twice a month, it is likely that parents and students would be more comfortable, and teachers would have more time to prepare. This could lead to thousands of likes on social media platforms. However, the most important question is whether these decisions would be in the best interest of students in the long run. According to global standards, the average number of school days per year is 184, rising to 200 in developed countries, compared to 183 in Egypt this year.
The issue is not just about the number of days, but also about student attendance and performance. Reducing evaluations could impact attendance, although it has increased from 15% three years ago to over 93% currently. This means that issues such as wasting time on phones and video games could decrease. To understand these numbers, it is worth recalling the complaints from two years ago about the decline of the school's role, low attendance, and high class densities.
Today, these problems have decreased, and textbooks are being delivered on time, despite an increase in printed books from 200 million to 430 million after adding evaluation books. The current academic year also saw changes to around 160 curricula, with only three receiving complaints. However, this does not mean that education problems have disappeared, and evaluations alone do not guarantee improved student performance.
The minister's experience should not be evaluated solely on the organization of the academic year, provision of textbooks, and changes to curricula. Other indicators, such as education standards, Egypt's international ranking, and the ministry's ability to manage a large system, are also important. The effective use of digitalization to reduce the administrative burden on teachers and Egypt's ranking in international education indicators are key.
Managing a system with around 60,000 schools, 27 million students, and one million teachers is difficult using traditional methods alone. The ministry and its officials are urged to make a greater effort to build trust with the education sector and make education policies more acceptable to the public. This can be achieved by reducing bureaucratic burdens on teachers and turning decisions into shared convictions.
While it is understandable that some people may be upset by strict development policies, the ministry should make every effort to ensure that its decisions are acceptable and understandable. The ultimate goal remains the interest of Egyptian students, helping them to compete with their peers in developed countries for better job opportunities, which will ultimately benefit the country.
Key points
- The Egyptian Education Minister is facing criticism over his decisions on exams and evaluations.
- The minister's decisions may not be in the best interest of students in the long run.
- The effective use of digitalization and reducing bureaucratic burdens on teachers are crucial for improving education in Egypt.
