CAIRO – Post-January 25 revolution officials must focus on reforming the educational system. Its main aspects – curricula, teachers and schools – suffer from dangerous setbacks. This is reflected in graduate levels, experts say. Egyptian education is riddled with many flaws: bad curricula, weak teaching methods, low-skilled teachers and overcrowded classrooms, according to Minister of Education Ahmed Gamal Eddin. Education is part and parcel of a country's development and renaissance, the cornerstone of building an enlightened and open society. “The January 25 revolution encourages us to launch comprehensive changes in all areas, including the educational sector,” suggested Saeed Ismail Ali, professor of the Foundation of Education at Ain Shams University. The Government spends only a small part of the budget on education. “Without adequate funds, improving the educational system will be a far-fetched dream,” warned Nadia Gamal Eddin, professor at the Educational Studies Institute, Cairo University. Hence, teachers resort to private lessons, which threaten economic and social stability. “Lack of funds is still a major obstacle on the way to improve education in Egypt. Teachers are the cornerstones of education. Well-paid, skilled and committed teachers lead the nation towards advancement and prosperity,” Ali asserted. “I hope that local businesses will actively participate in developing the educational system. Civil society, businessmen and the private sector can help with donations and endowments,” Ali continued. The Egyptian school system consists of four categories �" public, private, experimental and foreign. “They differ in many aspects like their curricula, which is bad for our national identity. Not only teaching skills and methods must be improved, the whole system needs revamping," he said. An increased education budget should be directed towards building new schools and equipping them with labs, playgrounds and other facilities. “Basic education consisting of pre-primary, primary and preparatory levels is the most important phase in a student's life. Education shapes identities and values. Curricula must therefore be co-ordinated,” said Soliman el-Khodari, professor of Educational Psychology and former director of the National Centre for Examination and Evaluation. The system is still traditional, lacking smart educational and modern technological approaches and equipment. “There is so much scope for improvement; technological labs for example need to be in tune with the reality of the labour market,” stated Tareq el-Hosari, assistant of Administrative Development at the Ministry of Education. Among the present drawbacks are overcrowded classrooms due to a lack of schools. “47,000 schools are not enough for 17 million students. Egypt needs 232,000 additional classrooms, costing LE52 billion [$8.7 billion], to solve overcrowding,” el-Hosari said. Contradictory educational policies, adopted by each minister of education, harmed and destabilised the educational system. “We need an independent national council for educational development with experts, thinkers and leaders to formulate educational policies. Otherwise all efforts will be lost,” concluded Ali.
