Ancient Egyptians showed special interest in knowledge and education and recorded the first step in the progress of human civilization by inventing writing that helped spread education in early stages. They recorded their civilization through their ancient language and deep-rooted heritage. Thus, Egypt sparked off the beginning of civilization since thousands of years.

In modern times, when Mohammad Ali assumed the reign of Egypt in 1805, he introduced modern educational system; following the European pattern in general and the French pattern in particular. Accordingly, he established higher schools in 1816, preparatory schools in 1825 and primary schools in 1832.

 

He gave due attention to the stage of higher education; specialized schools were established first; such as schools of medicine, engineering and administration and languages. With increasing attention to education, thanks to efforts of Refa'a al-Tahtawy and Ali Mubarak; the pioneers of education, missions were sent to Europe.

 

The first intellectual project in Egypt was Ali Mubarak then known as "Ragab Statute" in 1876 (corresponding to 1285 AH). In addition, Ali Mubarak established the National Library, "Darul-Kutub" in 1870 and the Teachers' College "Darul-Ulum" in 1880 to provide schools with Arabic teachers while in 1908, the Private University was inaugurated.

 

Later, the 1923 Constitution stipulated that "Primary education is obligatory to Egyptians, males and females." A law-decree was issued in 1925 providing for the establishment of a government university under the name of “Egyptian University”, then comprising four faculties: Arts, Sciences, Medicine and Law. More universities ensued; Alexandria University in 1942, Ain Shams University in 1950 and Assiut University in 1975. Provincial universities were later established, in addition to al-Azhar University in 1930.

 

Taha Hussein gave due attention to education development and free education. After 23^rd July Revolution, the State set the "democracy of education" principle, giving all brackets of the nation access to free education at all stages.

 

Since 1957, socio-economic development strategy in Egypt has been associated with education. During the 1980s, national education goals focused on:

 

Efforts to upgrade education in Egypt have sustained to keep pace with changes of the age. In the 1980s, national goals of education focused on the following :

-  education for all;

-  education and distinction for all; and

- breaking into the age of technology,

 

In early 1990s, education in Egypt gained unprecedented attention. Since 1991 education has been viewed as Egypt's National Greater Project. Later on, a document entitled “Mubarak and Education … A Future outlook” was issued in 1992. It contained an outline of the new educational policy. Starting from 1993, a series of national conferences were held to upgrade education. In 1993, a conference on upgrading the primary education was held, in 1994, another conference on upgrading the preparatory education was held and in 1996, a conference was held on teacher's preparation, upgrading and attention. In 2000, the National Conference for Talented People was held. These conferences have aimed at integration of visions about development of education.

 

Education faces several changes under the age of society of knowledge which depends on hi-tech. Hence, complete realization of the huge technological advance and informatics revolution has become inevitable to serve education system through:

- Spreading the culture of science and technology as the success of efforts to advance science and technology is contingent on support by larger sectors of the people and civil society organizations.

- Videoconference net that includes a number of stationary and mobile training centres operating through high-speed communication channels and the Arab satellite (Arab Sat 2.B). The total number of training centres reached 57.

- Satellite educational channels aim at enriching the educational process through making use of advanced communication technologies. Educational channels have been operated across the Nilesat 101 to transmit educational programmes in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

 

Established in the 6^th of October City. It is the biggest of its kind in the Middle East. President Hosni Mubrak inaugurated the first phase of the city-built on 58 feddans- on February 5,2002, and the second one on May 13, 2004. The city is hooked to the communications and Internet networks so as to give access to local and foreign technological development and exploratory centers.

 

The centre seeks to discover and foster capacities, and provide care and follow-up for talented young men in realms of science, art and literature. A large number of specialized clubs in electronics, science, computer, environment and biology are supervised by the centre. 

 

Technical education acquires a special importance in response to the inevitable necessities imposed by the incumbent world changes and society of knowledge. This requires new forms of work and demands untypical specialties not provided by the current education. New types of specialized technical schools have been introduced mainly:

 

Since President Mubarak had signed the Mubarak-Kohl project agreement of education and dual training in cooperation with Germany, it has been highly successful with 43 schools participating. The number of male and female students rose to 14000, graduates to 1000, and teachers to about 1600. About 1600 factories and 400 contracting firms spread over 27 cities in 17 governorates have participated in the programme.

 

- Number of the admitted students in the primary stage hit 1,666,090 male and female.

- Number of the admitted male and female students in the preparatory stage hit 1,464,500 in 2003/04. In 2004/05 there were not students in Grade 1 of the preparatory stage because Grade 6 of the primary stage was re-instituted.

-         Number of the admitted male and female students in the secondary stage (general, technical) hit 1,029,900.

 

- Number of private schools reached 4621 in 2005

- Number of classes in these schools reached 37423

- Number of students enrolled in private education reached 1,222,616.

- Per-class share of students dropped to 32.7.

- Total number of students enrolled in the pre-university stage reached 1,555,311 in 2004/05

- Number of admitted male and female students in Azharite pre-university education reached 436600.

- Number of Azharite institutes went up to 7100 in 2004/05.

- Some 15 private Azharite institutes were established including 9 in Cairo  2 in Giza, 3 in Assuit, 1 in Gharbia.

 University and Higher Education… way to Egypt's Modernization:

Over the past two decades of the 20^th century increasing access to university and higher education was given through 20 governmental and private universities comprising 388 faculties and institutes distributed as follows:

- 12 governmental universities in addition to 8 branches of universities comprising 277 faculties and institutes.

- Al-Azhar University, comprising 60 faculties.

- The American University in Cairo, comprising 4 faculties.

- 6 private universities, comprising 47 faculties.

In 2004/05, Republican decrees were issued to the affect that three state-owned universities in Banha, Fayoum and Bani Swif would be set up. Three private universities were established in virtue of other decrees:

1- Al-Ahram-Canadian University.

2- The British university

- The Modern University for Technology and Information.

 

- Number of students admitted to higher education and university hit 468700 in 2004/05 female.

- Number of students enrolled in governmental higher and university education hit 2,036,600 in 2004/05

- Number of female students enrolled in private higher education reached 315.485, and those who were admitted hit 113.630 in 2004/05.

- Open learning system was introduced in some faculties of Cairo, Alexandria, Ain Shams and Assiut universities, in addition to guided non-regular education system in all universities.

 

- Number of faculties reached 60 in 2004/05.

- Number of male and female students admitted reached 101,200 in 2004/05.

- Number of male and female students enrolled reached 504,600 in 2004/05.

 

- The state-financed overseas missions increased to 1066 spread in 19 countries.

- Investments allocated to the overseas mission are estimated at LE 390 million in 2004/05 budget.

 

The state has exerted strenuous efforts in this regard and considered (1990-99) and (2000-2010) two decades to eliminate illiteracy. For this purpose, the General Authority for Illiteracy and Adults Education was established in 1991.

- In 2003, initial statistics showed that there were 8.5 million illiterates, and a 4-year programme was implemented to eliminate illiteracy of 2.5 million people of the 15-45 age group. About 82,000 classes opened and 76,000 teachers received about 3.1 million learners.

- Rate of illiteracy of the up 10 age group of population dropped to 30.6 percent in 2001/02 according to census of 1996 and to 29.1 present in 2002/03.

- Rate of illiteracy of the whole population dropped to 26.86 in 2004/05. 

 

Egypt has a long history in scientific research since the Pharaonic era represented in astronomy, chemistry…etc. This was clearly crystallized in Mohammad Ali's era that left its fingerprint in many fields; leading to a major scientific revival still persisting in our modern history.

Up to the mid 1930s of the 20^th Century, scientific research was conducted by researches and scientists in various scientific institutions which lacked any institutional framework. At that time, scientists realized the need for such framework; so they called for establishing a scientific umbrella to consolidate, enhance and coordinate scientific research activities that are scattered in ministries and different government agencies.

 

The State welcome this call, so it issued a decree to establish Fouad I Private Research Council in November 1939 that began its scientific activity in 1947. Later, in recognition of the need to give a strong push to scientific research and its systems, the Revolution government issued law establishing the Higher Council for Science in January 1956. This council served as a real nucleus for preparing cadres of scientists and researchers in various fields.

In January 1963, the first ministry of scientific research was created. In September 1971, the Technology and Scientific Research Academy was established as a national umbrella for science and technology in Egypt.

 

Since the early 1980s, scientific research sector witnessed huge growth and development. As a result, Egyptian think-tanks came to play a role in alleviating the burden of many problems in production and services units of the State.

 

Investments of scientific research under 2004/05 plan are estimated at LE 500 million totally allocated by the government including LE 173 million for the Ministry of Scientific Research and the Academy, LE 117 million for the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, LE 90 million for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the remaining investments are distributed to other ministries.

 

The number of scientific research centers affiliated to the Ministry of Scientific Research reached 13, in addition to the Higher Council for Research Centres and Institutions. Moreover, the number of research and studies centres in the different ministries reached 219 and 114 universities.

 

The Academy works to prompt scientific and technological progress through consolidating ties between local and foreign scientific and technological establishments. It works also to make science and technology an effective and integrated element in the socio-economic and environmental system.

 

Located at the new Borg Al-Arab city, Alexandria. Its mission is to develop and upgrade the state-of-the-art technologies in cooperation with local and international organizations working in the field of technology transfer. It stands as a centre to develop researches and link science with development to follow in footsteps of other countries. The city consists of 8 research institutes and 4 centers for modern scientific and technological fields.

The centre aims at promoting basic and applied scientific researches, especially those related to agriculture, industry, public health and all principal basics of the national economy within the State's general policy.

 

The Authority aims at technology transfer, cooperation with counterpart authorities and setting up a strong scientific and technological base for space researches and studies with a focus on peaceful use of outer space.

 

It works for upgrading theoretical and applied researches and studies. It provides expertise and advice in these fields, especially those which help achieve Egypt's development plans.

 

It aims at making basic and applied researches and studies in hi-tech of electronic and informatics.

 

The Institute maintains as an authorized reference for the national standards of physical quantities and related scientific researches for raising accuracy of national standards and participating in the international efforts in this respect.

 

It works for increasing fish wealth and optimal use of it and preserving maritime environment.

This institute was established as a specialized scientific centre in combating endemic diseases in Egypt especially bilharzia, its complications and parasitic and viral diseases.

 

The Institute's mission is to meet technological needs of the national oil industries through applied researches and studies.

 

It aims at combating eye diseases and making studies and researches in ophthalmology and its related  sciences.

The centre aims at technology transfer and upgrading the strategic projects in the field of metallurgical and mining industries listed in the state's development plan.

 

The Council's mission is to coordinate between research centers and institutes, participate in maximizing capabilities and steering them for scoring national development's goals.

 

It works for finding solutions for technical problems. It provides at the request of the clients' demand in Egypt and abroad technical and economic studies and technological services for projects.

 

This centre is EAA's core and the oldest of its centres. It conducts a variety of activities ranging from basic nuclear research to radioisotopes applications in medicine, industry and agriculture. Most significant of its facilities is Egypt's research reactor.

 

This centre proposes legislations and develops regulations of peaceful uses of the nuclear energy, including issuing licenses for nuclear utilities.

Egypt's second nuclear research reactor at a capacity of 22 megawatt was inaugurated to produce more radioisotopes to meet Egypt's growing needs. It was designed according to international nuclear security standards in cooperation with Egyptian and Argentinian scientists and technicians.

 

In pursuit of advancement in nuclear technology, the first electronic laboratory was established at a capacity of 1.5 million electron volt at a cost of LE 30 million. It contributes to introducing electronic saturation technology into Egyptian industry. This accelerator is a new addition, whereby Egypt embarks on advanced modern technology era.