CAIRO: The academic year for all Egyptian public schools — kindergarten through secondary — is scheduled to start on Sept. 17, despite rumors stating otherwise, the education ministry said. Public universities postponed the start of the academic year, now scheduled to begin in October, due to upcoming elections for university leadership posts. For public schools, the first semester will continue until Jan. 26, 2012 with the mid-year vacation from Jan. 27 through Feb. 9. The second semester, which will start on Feb. 10, will continue until June 7. Minister of Education Ahmed Gamal Al-Din Moussa said they are working on the decentralization of power, whereby, for example, administrations around the country will be able to make decisions without resorting to the ministry, in an effort to be more effective and efficient. The minister also said there will be no increase in tuition fees this academic year, noting that schools will not be allowed to ask for additional expenses throughout the year, a decree which will be printed out and hung around campuses, according to a statement. The administrations of individual schools, along with their boards of trustees, parents and superintendents, will be allowed to make decisions without reverting to the district's educational administration, especially when pertaining to the distribution of the budget. Moussa also said there will be more investments in infrastructure this year with a plan to build 8,162 classes in schools around the country. This will create more job opportunities as more teachers will be needed, as well as decreasing the number of students in each classroom.
