Egypt's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research convened the first meeting of a ministerial committee dedicated to aligning education outcomes with the needs of the nation's labour market. The Monday meeting, held at the ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, brought together key figures from the education and workforce sectors to address the critical issue of preparing a workforce capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy. The committee, chaired by Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and including Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, and Mohamed Gobran, Minister of Labour, discussed a range of initiatives aimed at aligning education with labour market needs. The committee emphasised the need for inter-ministerial collaboration to develop and improve education and training systems. This effort, aligned with Egypt's Vision 2030, aims to produce a competitive workforce. Key areas of focus included developing student skills from the pre-university level through university and into the workforce. This, according to the ministers, is crucial to preparing graduates for the changing demands of the labour market and supporting the government's vision for industrial localisation and improving education quality. The meeting explored ways to develop training programmes that align with labour market needs, provide genuine employment opportunities for graduates, and bridge the gap between education and the workforce. Participants also explored mechanisms to connect higher education graduates with the requirements of various sectors and encourage greater cooperation between universities and companies. The ministers acknowledged the need for a two-pronged approach to connecting education and the labour market: the academic approach, represented by university programmes, and the professional approach, achieved through university centres of excellence. These centres aim to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and the demands of the labour market, allowing students to gain necessary practical experience. The meeting also discussed the ongoing efforts to enhance and improve the level of university graduates to meet labour market requirements. Participants explored opportunities for collaboration among the relevant ministries to strengthen and expand these efforts. Recognizing the threat of fraudulent educational institutions, the committee emphasised the need for deterrent measures, including stricter penalties, through collaboration between relevant authorities to combat these institutions and protect student rights. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, highlighted the significance of human development and stressed the need to evaluate the current state of the education system by examining the past and looking toward the future. He underscored the importance of adapting to accelerating global changes, such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digital transformation, by focusing on innovation. Abdel Latif emphasised that with competition becoming global rather than local, there is a crucial need to develop educational content and teaching skills to empower students to keep pace with these changes. He stressed the importance of restructuring educational personnel to align with new global requirements. Mohamed Gobran, Minister of Labour, highlighted the ministry's commitment to developing the vocational training system. He explained the existence of a vast network of fixed and mobile training centres across all governorates, dedicated to preparing young people for local and global labour markets. Gobran emphasised the focus on modernising these centres and equipping them with the latest training programmes through collaboration with the private sector and the Training and Qualification Financing Fund. He also stressed the importance of partnerships with the Federation of Egyptian Industries and the "Start" initiative to develop training programmes that meet the changing needs of the labour market, aiming to restore the qualified Egyptian worker's position in global markets. The meeting concluded with an agreement to form a joint committee comprising representatives from the relevant ministries. This committee will thoroughly study the needs of the labour market, identify its priorities, and ensure the alignment of educational outcomes with these priorities. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, previously announced the formation of a committee headed by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, comprising the Minister of Education and Technical Education, and Minister of Labour. This committee aims to develop executive plans to ensure integration and coordination between technical education in industrial and technological schools, technological universities with various specialisations, and their connection to vocational training centres and the workers' university. The aim is to define targets in various educational stages, leading to entry into the labour market, as part of the state's commitment to achieving alignment between education outcomes and labour market needs.
