Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohammad Abdel Latif announced that artificial intelligence (AI) and programming will become core subjects for first-year secondary school students starting next year.
Abdel Latif clarified that this move aims to equip students with fundamental programming skills upon graduation.
The minister made his remarks during a symposium hosted by the National Press Authority to discuss the latest developments in the country's educational system.
Abdel Latif highlighted Egypt's position as having the most extensive pre-university education system in the Middle East and North Africa.
The minister noted that this system is supported by 843,490 teachers and encompasses 550,000 classrooms across 29,698 public and private schools.
He added that during the 2023/2024 academic year, a staggering 25,494,232 students were enrolled in Egyptian schools.
Minister Abdel Latif pointed out that the ministry currently prioritizes reducing classroom overcrowding, with plans to build 10,000 to 15,000 new classrooms annually.
Additionally, it applies innovative solutions, such as mobile classrooms and a two-shift system in some schools., he said.
Abdel Latif confirmed a significant decrease in class sizes to below 50 students thanks to the creation of 98,744 additional classrooms.
However, he noted that this expansion has led to a teacher shortage, ranging from 469,860 to over 665,000.
To address this, the government intends to recruit 30,000 new teachers annually and contract 50,000 part-time teachers.
The minister added that the number of teaching weeks and class duration have also been extended, and additional pay is offered for extra classes.
He added that the ministry also seeks to improve student attendance by introducing an annual scoring system and extracurricular activities, noting that such steps have resulted in attendance rates exceeding 85 percent.
Source: Al-Ahram Online
