Egypt

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$700,000

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • System capacity

Education sector plan

Objective: Transform the education system to ensure universal access to high quality education and training, foundational learning for all and skills for the sustainable future.

Other key documents

Coordinating agency: UNICEF, UNICEF/Egypt

GPE Team lead: Muhammad Tariq Khan

Transforming education in Egypt

Egypt has the largest pre-university education system in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with over 25 million students. The country places high priority on education through the constitutional provision for compulsory and free basic education and government spending for pre-university education – no less than 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

While the education in Egypt has improved in recent years, systemic challenges include low performance – only 19% of grade 4 students demonstrate foundational reading skills and 29% for math – insufficient classroom space to accommodate the current student population, and 1.5 million out-of-school children.

Egypt aims to ensure universal access to high-quality education and training, foundational learning for all and skills for the sustainable future.

As part of Egypt’s overarching Strategic Vision 2030, the government has developed a five-year education sector plan (ESP) for reforming the education system, structured around four policy priority pillars:

  • Access and participation
  • Quality of learning and teaching
  • Equity and inclusion
  • Governance and management of the system.

Across all pillars is a focus on digital transformation as well as a strong teacher workforce. The ESP has been independently appraised and endorsed by education development partners in Egypt.

Key data

5%

out-of-school rate for children of lower-secondary school age

33%

of children start learning one year before entering primary school

87%

of primary teachers have the minimum required qualifications

14%

of government expenditure on education

Grants

(data as of December 18, 2024)

 
  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2023 - 2024

    Allocation: US$200,000

    Utilization: US$200,000

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: Sector plan development

    Years: 2021 - 2023

    Allocation: US$500,000

    Utilization: US$500,000

    Grant agent: UNICEF

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting Egyptians without borders foundation for the 2024-2026 period.

Learn more

Knowledge and innovation

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