President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced Tuesday a new push to modernise Egypt's education system — from expanding artificial intelligence and coding instruction to improving teachers' pay — as part of a broader drive to align schooling with the digital age. During a meeting with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif, the president ordered a new monthly 1,000 Egyptian pounds ($21) bonus for teachers starting in November, according to a presidential statement. The move underscores the state's effort to improve conditions for educators while overhauling how Egypt's 25 million students learn. Sisi was briefed on progress in the new academic year, which opened with a record 87.5 per cent student attendance rate. The president reviewed efforts to reduce classroom overcrowding, close teacher shortages, and roll out updated curricula — 94 in total — spanning all educational stages. Minister Abdel Latif said the reforms were designed with input from teachers, academics, and UNICEF, and include new courses on programming and artificial intelligence. Calling education a "pillar of development," Sisi urged officials to create a system that fosters creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, while connecting learning outcomes to real-world labour market needs. The president also reviewed investment priorities for the 2025–2026 school year, including partnerships with the private sector to expand applied technology schools that train students for modern industries. Egypt is introducing the Egyptian Baccalaureate this year, offering students greater flexibility and multiple testing opportunities — with nearly 88 percent of eligible students enrolling. Meanwhile, the first school under the German-Egyptian Schools Initiative opened in 6th of October City, with plans to expand to 100 campuses nationwide. Sisi said Egypt must "intensify public investment in education" and keep technology at the core of learning. "Education must evolve to inspire innovation," he said, "and our teachers must lead that change." Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
