(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Education Mohamed Abdel Latif to review the progress of Egypt's education system as the new academic year begins, the presidency said in a statement.

Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shenawy said the president was briefed on the start of the school year, which recorded an unprecedented attendance rate of about 87.5% of students. The meeting also addressed measures to reduce classroom overcrowding and resolve teacher shortages.

The president reviewed ongoing curriculum reforms, with the minister noting that 94 curricula across all grade levels had been updated with contributions from teachers and university professors. A new training programme for teachers has also been launched in cooperation with UNICEF, alongside the introduction of new courses in programming and artificial intelligence.

Al-Sisi underscored the importance of delivering a high-quality education system that meets the demands of the digital era and aligns with labour market needs. The meeting also discussed priorities for the 2025–2026 education investment plan, including expanding high-performing schools and strengthening technical and vocational education through public–private partnerships to establish technology-focused institutions.

The president was briefed on the national literacy and reading skills programme for primary students, which targets one million pupils across 2,000 schools in 10 governorates. Discussions also covered the newly introduced Egyptian Baccalaureate, launched this year, which streamlines the number of subjects and offers multiple testing opportunities. Around 88% of eligible students have enrolled in the programme.

Minister Abdel Latif presented updates on the Egyptian–German Schools Initiative, which recently inaugurated its first school in 6th of October City and aims to expand to 100 schools nationwide.

Al-Sisi directed the government to prioritise technology-driven education, including artificial intelligence and digitisation, while boosting public investment in education to foster innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. He also emphasised improving teachers' welfare, ordering a monthly teaching bonus of EGP 1,000 starting in November 2025 and calling for continued efforts to enhance their economic conditions.

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