The two organisations will work with Egypt’s Ministry of Education to create a new English-language curriculum to prepare secondary school students for an increasingly globalised world.
“The goal is to better equip students to tackle global challenges, enter the job market and better prepare them for life as world citizens,” a British Council spokesperson told The PIE News.
The new curriculum will incorporate digital innovation, gender inclusion and green education, aiming to develop “key 21st century skills” in line with Egypt’s Education Reform 2.0 strategy.
With approximately 60% of Egypt’s population aged under 30, its school system is the largest in the Middle East and North Africa, boasting over 23 million students.
The government’s education strategy aims to “transform” K-12 education by 2030 by moving towards more skills-based learning and digital proficiency.
“Better English skills for young people helps to empower them to access opportunities and build international connections,” said British Council Egypt director Mark Howard, upon the signing of the partnership in Cairo last month.
“We believe that high-quality and inclusive teaching, learning and assessment of English increases academic, career and social opportunities and will enable young people in Egypt to participate actively in a global society,” added Howard.
The ministry considers this initiative a pivotal step toward achieving sustainable development goals in the education sector
Akram Hassan, Ministry of Education
Under the new partnership, the British Council will lead the technical development of the curriculum and conduct capacity-building sessions with Ministry of Education personnel to ensure the framework’s effective implementation.
UNICEF will provide of the development process, engaging with stakeholders and contributing to the design of inclusive, gender-responsive and digitally innovative curriculum components.
Egypt’s Education Ministry welcomed the partnership, representing a “fruitful collaboration in developing the English language curriculum” and “broadening learning opportunities for students”, said assistant minister on curriculum development, Akram Hassan.
“The ministry considers this initiative a pivotal step toward achieving sustainable development goals in the education sector,” he added.
The opportunities offered by Egypt’s youthful population are not going unnoticed by higher educational institutions around the world, with Exeter University recently announcing a new branch campus in Cairo.
The British Council, which has worked in Egypt for 90 years, shocked international partners when its leader said that it could “disappear” in the next decade due to spiralling government debt.
While there are fears that operations in 40 countries could face closure, the Council has confirmed that its work in Egypt is continuing as normal.
