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. 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 at-Tahtawy and Ali Mubarak; the pioneers of education, missions were sent to Europe.

 

The first intellectual project in Egypt was Ali Mubarak's 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. 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.

 

Comprehensive quality is considered one of the recently applied systems in the field of education. It seeks the preparation of the student in accordance with certain qualifications as well as the professional improvement of the teacher and his teaching methods through self-evaluation, using IT inside the class, and developing curricula. So, comprehensive quality is an administration philosophy that aims to realize perfection in school performance.

 

In order to achieve this, the national project for setting national criteria for education appeared in September 2003. Besides, the national authority for guaranteeing education quality was established so as to carry out comprehensive evaluation for the educational institutions.

 

The State aims at entering the knowledge world through several fields such as using technology in education, learning and administration through:

- Merging technology in subjects, activating the electronic government project, and linking about 36926 schools through the Internet.

- Increasing the schools equipped with recent technology to 28850 schools.

- Number of computers in preparatory schools reached 84327.

- Number of science laboratories in primary schools reached 15714, in preparatory schools reached 7128, and in secondary schools reached about 1754.

- Number of receivers for educational channels reached 22000.

- Joining 7700 preparatory schools to remote education.

- Equipping a number of 100 kindergartens with electronic games.

- Increasing the technological aspect in 35 mental schools.

- Increasing 20 new sites for the national network for remote training to reach 57 sites.

- Preparing and qualifying 150 teachers and 400 students to use means of programming production.

- Activating a number of 25 technological convoys through educational departments. Number of beneficiaries of these convoys reaches 1670133.

- Linking ADSL to 2000 schools.

- Producing advanced educational software. Salient software already produced are: 305 curricula for all stages, 160 video films (historical and documentary), 110 animated films and 60 educational subjects recorded on tapes, of which 45 transmitted through Internet through electronic education project.

 

- These channels aim at providing distinguished educational service for different stages. Nile educational channel consists of four channels for pre-university education (primary-preparatory, secondary-technical education), in addition to a channel for illiteracy combating and adult education. Besides these channels, there are TV Channels that transmit their programmes via channels one and two.

 

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 March 5, 2003, and the second one on May 13, 2004.

The city is hooked on to the communications and Internet networks so as to give access to local and foreign technological development and exploratory centers.

- The city comprises 12 research centers and institutes.

 

Through taking care of the brilliant and excellent individuals, scientific progress would be achieved. The State exerts sustainable efforts to sponsor these individuals through different projects, salient of which:

 

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. The centre spreads all over Egypt's governorates. Number of these centre reaches 26.

 

Discovering those talented in the field of sports became a necessity so as to take part in local, regional and international sports competitions.

- Sports schools hold a number of exams to select the best. These exams comprise medical, psychological, skill and physical tests, in addition to sports test.

The Ministry of Education pays due attention to this category. Statistics show a stable increase in number of students and classes in 2005/06 are as follows:

* Number of schools reached 804.

* Number of classes reached 3929.

* Number of students reached 36808.

 

The state pays due attention to technical education in response to the inevitable necessities imposed by the incumbent world changes, society of knowledge, and priorities of work market. A number of steps has been carried out to improve technical education and to draw a strategic plan for its development through:

- Providing advanced buildings for technical education.

- Introducing new types of education to linh the school to work market.

- Small projects.

- Capital project.

- School to work porject.

 

- 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 44 schools participating. The number of male and female students rose to 16000, graduates to 14000, and teachers to about 1700. About 1800 factories and 300 contracting firms spread over 27 cities in 18 governorates have participated in the programme. They are trained in 29 professions.

- Number of those who attended training courses in Germany reached 600 students.

- The application of Mubarak-kohl project has been extended to various specialists to include 14 industrial education schools, 24 departments affiliated to industrial education, 4 agricultural schools, and 8 commercial education schools.

 

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.

The application of the second decade began from 2000-10.

 

Illiteracy combating became a necessity to cope with the society of knowledge. Moreover, educational institutions pay due attention to the comprehensive concept for the continuous adult education. The project aims at combating the illiteracy of 2.5 million persons in the category (15-40 years) in 4 years starting from 2003. The State proceeds its continuous efforts and projects to face this problem as follows:

- Investments allocated to illiteracy combating and adult education in 2005/06 plan reached LE 60 million.

- In 1996, illiteracy percentage in the category of 10 or more years old decreased from 39.4% to 25.2% in June 30, 2006. During the period from April, 1 2005 to June 30, 2006, a programme was implemented to eliminate illiteracy of 450,000 persons. Besides, 72,000  teachers joined illiteracy combating programme.

 

International partnership and cooperation are important elements in the march of developing education in Egypt through:

* Openness to other cultures and benefiting from international experiences in planning and developing education.

* Establishing new partnership with international organizations concerned with education such as UNISCO, UNICEF, World Bank, European Union, USAID Institution and Canadian Aid Institution.

* Investing foreign aid and international experience in achieving different education projects.

* Helping in the preparation of educational cadres that cope with world developments.

* Paying attention to sources of financing education and achieving ambitious projects for developing it.

 

-In the field of increasing societal participation, the State has adopted the active school project financed by the EU and World Bank within improving education programme applied in 10 governorates all over the country. These governorates include Qena, Suhag, Menya, Beni Swef, Al- Sharkeia, Al-Gharbia, Kafer Al- Sheikh, Dakahlia, Qalyobia, and Ismailia, to the amount of 30 schools in each governorate so as to improve their performance. The project aims to activate the role of societal participation and develop the capabilities of school, training units. At present, the project is being expanded by adding 100 schools amounting to 10 schools in each governorate. By the end of December 2006, number of schools will reach 400 schools all over the ten governorates.

 

- In 2005/06, investments in the field of education reached about LE 4.4 billion.

- In 2005/06 plan, total investment credit reached LE 1.375 billion.      

- Number of K.G schools reached 6259 in 2006. Number of classes increased to 17945. Number of nominated female teachers in K.G. schools reached 20,000.

- Number of the admitted male and female students in the primary stage hit 1.433.300.

- Number of the admitted male and female students in the preparatory stage hit 1264.800.

- Number of the admitted male and female students in the secondary stage (general and technical) hit 999.900. Number of classes increased to 387.808 in 2005/06.

- Total number of new schools built till the end of September 2005, reached 39926.

 

- Number of private schools reached 4723 in 2005 .

- Number of classes in these schools reached 38305.

- Number of students enrolled in private education reached 1,229,108.

- Per-class share of students dropped to 32.1, in 2005/06.

- Total number of students enrolled in the pre-university stage reached 1,772,800 in 2005/06.

- Number of admitted male and female students in Azharite pre-university education reached 454,900,000 in 2005/06.

- Number of Azharite institutes went up to 8722 in 2005/06.

 

The state always proceeds to expand and develop university education, prepare specialized cadres to achieve scientific openness on external world, and increase access to university and higher education through 256 faculties and institutes in university education and 64 faculties and institutes in higher education. In this framework, three branches of universities, i.e Banha, Fayoum and Bani Swif were transformed into governmental universities from 2005/06.

- A decree was issued to establish Nile University in 6^th of October City in Sheikh Zayed over an area of 126 feddan.

 

Number of faculties in private universities hit 116 faculties and institutes. During the years 2004/05, three private universities were established by virtue of a republican decree:

* Al-Ahram-Canadian University.

* The British University.

* The Modern University for Technology and Information.

- Besides, during 2005/06, Pharoas University was established in Alexandria. It comprises seven faculties absorbing 5,000 students.

 

- Administrative structures in higher education institutions were developed. Besides, multi-media centers and a centre for developing scientific abilities were established.

- The Ministry of Higher Education, in cooperation with the Ministry of Military Production and Arab Organization for Industrialization, adopted a project for providing a computer for each university student. In addition, universities and scientific research centers have signed 21 agreements with the Information and Telecommunication Ministry so as to provide training for 30,000 graduates annually.

 

This project was established to create information community and to develop capabilities of young graduates. Number of clubs established up till now hit 90 clubs distributed all over the universities.

In 2004, a protocol for cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and the Information and Telecommunication Ministry was signed so as to provide using information and telecommunication techniques, applying electronic education, and establishing centers for research and development in the field of telecommunication and information technology.

 

- Number of students admitted to higher education and university hit 364643 in 2005/06.

- Number of students enrolled in higher and university education hit 1,824,157 in 2005/06.

- Number of students enrolled in private higher education reached 114.315, and those who were admitted reached 332.375 in 2005/06.

 

- Number of faculties reached 60 in 2005/06.

- Number of male and female students admitted reached 122,300,000 in 2005/06.

- Number of male and female students enrolled reached 548,300,000 in 2005/06.

 

Egypt has a long history in science and technology as it has been one of the pioneers in the field of science and knowledge. This clearly appears in Muhammad Ali's experiment of building modern Egypt that crystallizes a unique model of comprehensive change on a modern bases.

 

Within July Revolution, the state adopted a long-term manufacturing programme that synchronized with the establishment of the Higher Council for Science in 1956. In 1971, the council became the Technology and Scientific Research Academy that has an ambitious technological policy so as to lead Egypt to be a developed country. The studies of the Academy proceeded for several years from 1981 to March 2000.

Since the early 1980s, the scientific research sector witnessed huge growth and development so as to cope with the world scientific and technological development.

 

Investments allocated to scientific research during the year 2005/06 rose to LE 500 million.

The number of scientific research centers affiliated to the Ministry of Scientific Research reached 14, in addition to the Higher Council for Research Centres and Institutions. Moreover, number of research and studies centres reached 219 in different ministries and 114 in 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 technological in 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 electronics 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 in 1983 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 steer 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 20 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.