Al-Mashat: EGP 71.4 billion allocated to education, technical education, and scientific research in the 2024/2025 development plan
Basant Ahmed
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the opening of the '4th International Fair and Forum for Technical and Vocational Education and Dual System and Training", themed 'Technological and Technical Education: Opportunities and Challenges." The event included representatives from the Ministries of Education, Technical Education, Labor, the European Union, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, and other relevant stakeholders.
In her speech, Al-Mashat expressed her pleasure in participating in this event, which provides an important platform for constructive dialogue among those concerned with technological and vocational education and training in Egypt. This dialogue aims to build effective partnerships in this field, positively impacting the future of work in Egypt.
The Minister emphasized that developing the technical education and vocational training system is a top priority for the Egyptian government. It has been highlighted as a strategic goal in the government's program, aiming to provide better education that contributes to securing future jobs by upgrading the technical education system, which is one of the main tools for achieving comprehensive and sustainable development.
Al-Mashat pointed out that this aligns with Egypt's development vision, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030. This strategy aims to develop an integrated system of technical education and vocational training, recognizing the importance of this sector in equipping a large number of young people with the skills and capabilities required to meet labor market needs and the skills necessary for the digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
She added that the government, in collaboration with the World Bank, is working on developing a new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) strategy for Egypt for the period 2025-2030, in line with the country's priorities. This strategy aims to attract investments based on new sources of knowledge-intensive capital, technology, skills, and market access, which will increase the competitiveness and diversification of the economy, enhance innovation and technology, develop the country's human capital, and generate high-quality jobs for its citizens.
Al-Mashat noted that the strategy's formulation has focused on enhancing skills training programs and ensuring that skill development aligns with private sector needs, which is a key factor for foreign investors in various sectors.
She highlighted that the Egyptian government is implementing these priorities by expanding the establishment of applied technology schools across different governorates, upgrading technical education and vocational training schools, and continuing to build partnerships with the private sector to train students in factories. In addition, cooperation with bilateral and multilateral development partners is expanding to enhance vocational education in Egypt through cooperation programs that provide technical and technological support.
She also mentioned that the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation is intensifying public investments directed toward the education sector, which is a priority in the efforts to achieve human development. This includes providing the necessary support and investments for all stages of education, as well as technical education, which plays a crucial role in developing human capital and meeting labor market needs. Al-Mashat emphasized that the total investments allocated to higher education, scientific research, education, and technical education in the 2024/2025 fiscal year plan amount to approximately EGP 71.4 billion.
In this context, the Minister confirmed that the expansion of applied technology schools and the ongoing development of technological universities are a priority, with plans to increase the number of technological universities to 12 next year, up from the current 9. This is part of the broader goal of achieving full coverage of public and technological universities over the coming years.
Additionally, the Minister highlighted the cooperation portfolio with international development partners, which includes numerous projects in the education sector. The total concessional development financing directed toward the education sector has exceeded $3.8 billion, funding more than 39 development projects. These projects include initiatives to enhance children's learning capacities, improve teacher capabilities and curricula, and establish schools of excellence in science and technology, as well as projects focused on technical and vocational education and training.
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