Education in Egypt

Education in Egypt

by Vishal Kumar



List of Educational Institutions in Egypt

Name Address
Ain Shams University Ain Shams University ش الخليفة المأمون، عباسية، Al Waili Cairo Governorate Egypt
Assiut University 71515 Assiut, Arab Republic of Egypt, Qesm Than Asyut, Assiut, Egypt
Benha University Benha University El-Shaheed Farid Nada Banha Qalyubia Egypt,
Beni-Suef University Qism Bani Sweif Bani Sweif Bani Sweif Governorate Egypt,
Cairo University Oula, Giza, Egypt
Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology NEW BORG EL ARAB، Alexandria, Egypt
Helwan University Ain Helwan، Cairo, Egypt
Faculty of Law, Mansoura University Mansoura, Daqahlia, Egypt
Port Said University Port Said, Egypt
Sadat Academy for Management Sciences Kornish Al Nile, المعادى، Cairo, Egypt
Sohag University Akhmim – Al Swamaa، SHARK DISTRICT، سوهاج، Egypt
South Valley University Qena Red Sea Governate Egypt
Suez Canal University Al Gamaa Ismailia Egypt
Zagazig University Markaz El-Zakazik, Sharkeya, Egypt
Maadi British International School Cairo, Egypt
Samy El Baroody Prep Language School Fleming Qesm AR Ramel Alexandria Egypt
Orouba Language School Cairo, Egypt
Future University in Egypt Rd. 90، NEW CAIRO، Cairo Governorate Egypt,
Misr International University Cairo Governorate Egypt
Pharos University in Alexandria Al Shri Al Omomi Qism Sidi Gabir Alexandria Egypt
Arab Open University No . 20 Al Hay Al 2 Cairo Governorate Egypt,
British University In Egypt Club Misr Ismaileya Desert Rd.، EL SHEROUK CITY، Cairo Governorate Egypt,
El Shorouk Academy Cairo Governorate Egypt,
Menoufiya University Gamal Abd El-Nasir Shebeen El-Kom Menufia Egypt
Beni Suef University Qism Bani Sweif Bani Sweif Bani Sweif Governorate Egypt

Education in Egypt

The importance of education has always been acknowledged in Egypt. In ancient Egypt, the scribes were a revered class. Scribe schools were held in temple courtyards and the scribes were instrumental in calculating taxes and record keeping. Scribes were very often healers as they were the only ones who could interpret the medical texts.

Egypt, as we know it today, has an excellent education system and the government has been particularly keen on developing the literacy levels in the country. As of the year 2007, about 12% of the government’s expenditure was towards development of the country’s education system. The Ministry for Education has been responsible for supervising the operational and financial aspects of educational institutions in Egypt. A number of autonomous higher education institutions have been opened and cities like Cairo have seen a number of vocational and business courses on offer for students. With international trade opening up the global market, ESOL institutions in Cairo have gained prominence.




In 1950, the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) was set up and is currently located at the Cairo University Campus at Giza. The SCU is responsible for the coordination between the eighteen government sponsored universities in Egypt (including the Portsaid University) and also in policy making with regard to education and scientific research in these universities.


The SCU is presided over by the Ministry of Higher Education which was established in 1961. Ever since, the ministry has proposed and implemented the higher education policy in the government and private universities and the intermediate institutes. The ministry also holds supervisory authority over the prestigious Academy of Arabic Language.

The Egyptian Universities Network is instrumental in providing technological support for the various universities of Egypt. Besides technical consultancy, the network offers video conferencing facilities, shared e-library access, e-learning services, email, and Internet access to universities such as Cairo University, Alexandria University, Nile University, Ain Shams University etc.

School education in Egypt shows great promise by way of gender equality and the outreach of primary education. The Middle East and North Africa comparative index shows that the governmental policy of providing free education at all government-run schools has been a success at the primary level. In 2007-2008 the Ministry of Education launched the National Strategic Plan for Pre-University Education Reform with support from three agencies: the National Center of Curricula Development, the National Center for Education Research, and the National Center for Examinations and Educational Evaluation. The ministry has also successfully run a pilot program where the schools of Faiyum, Ismailia, and Luxor have benefited from decentralization of educational funding.


In April 2010, Egypt’s Ministry of Education launched an exercise involving the revision of religious curricula in the context of evolving a more humanitarian educational system. With a population of over 90% Sunni Muslims and 9 % Coptic Christians, the Ministry of Education emphasizes the importance of excluding violence and extremist content from education.

MapsofWorld Trivia: The scribes of ancient Egypt were experts in both the Hieroglyphics and the Hieratic script. The development of Hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt seems to date back as far as 3200 BC. The decipherment of Hieroglyphics has presented many problems to archeologists and scholars due to the variety of symbols used and the general lack of uniformity. While use of alphabets was common, phonetic or symbolic use was also not unknown. The Hieratic script first made its appearance during the Protodynastic Period as a derivative of the Hieroglyphics. The Hieratic script was the favorite of the priests and was used extensively to record religious texts.

Ain Shams University

The Ain Shams University is one of the oldest secular universities in Egypt. It was established in the year 1950. Over the years, the university has greatly developed and expanded to include two high institutes and 15 faculties.


The Ain Shams University imparts degrees at the undergraduate, graduate and even the post-graduate levels and is a widely preferred regular university in Egypt. The university’s curriculum stresses on the courses related to science and culture and in general aims at improving human knowledge. The main campus of Ain Shams University is located in Greater Cairo but it has branches in most parts of Egypt. Besides culture and science, there are separate academies for teaching agriculture, law, engineering, pharmacy, commerce, computer science and information, education, nursing, medicine, vocational skills, women empowerment and arts. Such a huge array of departments has truly made the university, one of the premier universities of Egypt.

Al-Azhar University

The Al-Azhar University is not just the oldest university in Cairo but also one of the oldest Islamic universities in the world. The Islamic university’s glory has been increased manifold due to the adjoining Al-Azhar mosque. The Al-Azhar mosque was built in the year 971 A.D., while the university was founded in 988 A.D. with the purpose of propagating the teachings of Islam.

The syllabus followed by Al-Azhar University is purely Islamic, with the Quran and the Islamic laws being taught regularly. Other subjects taught at this Islamic madrassa are grammar, rhetoric, logic and solar and lunar calculations. The process of teaching is purely old-school, with students forming a circle around the feet of the sheikh and classes being taught in rote memorization. In higher classes students of Al-Azhar University are encouraged to take up Socrates’ philosophy. However, the university exercises a strict restriction on admitting students who are non-practicing Muslims. Medicine and engineering are the newest subjects that have been started by the university in 1961.

Alexandria University

Alexandria University is one of the best-known universities in Egypt. In 1938, it was set up as a satellite of Fouad I University. However, in the year 1942, this university acquired its independent entity. Before taking the name University of Alexandria (1952), it was known as Farouk University.

Some of the most noted personalities who got degrees from this Egyptian university are as follows:

  • Abdelsalam Heddaya
  • Ahmed Zewail
  • Mohamed Hashish
  • Zahi Hawass
  • Gamal El-Din Abdel Rehim
  • Ahmed Tantawy

Al-Fayyum University

The Al-Fayyum University has been named after the Egyptian city in which the university is located and caters to the students of the city of Al-Fayyum in Egypt. The Al-Fayyum city is located in northern Egypt and serves as the capital of the large Al-Fayyum Governorate. The university has a large student base in northern Egypt. Although, the university is not very old, being established only in 1983 yet, it was decided at its planning stages that the university would be transformed into one of the major universities in northern region of the country of Egypt.

American University in Cairo

The American University in Cairo is situated in Tahrir Square in the downtown area of the city. The government buildings, the National Cultural Center and Egyptian Museum are located within close proximity to the university.

The American University in Cairo offers a variety of courses in its three main colleges:

  • Sciences and Engineering
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Business, Economics and Communication

Assiut University

The Assiut University was established in the year 1957 with an aim of encouraging higher education among the students of Upper Egypt. The university derives its name from the city where it is located and that is Assiut. The university lies exactly 375 kilometers away from Cairo. Like the other premier universities in Egypt, the Assiut University also has 2 higher institutes besides having 16 faculties. The primary aim with which the university was established was to encourage research and increase awareness about community services and other education related courses. Like other secular universities of Egypt, this university also imparts education in most of the modern fields of education.

Schools and Colleges in Egypt

Schools and Colleges in Egypt have contributed a lot in the growth of education in the country. The educational institutions with the efficient operation and highly qualified teachers have helped the Egyptians to enhance their educational qualification. There are plenty of schools and colleges in Egypt. Among them some of the noted educational institutions are as follows:

  • Modern English School Cairo
  • Cairo American College
  • British Schools in Cairo
  • Indonesian School In Cairo
  • The Model School in Cairo
  • College St Marc
  • Victoria College

Modern English School

Like schools and colleges of most other countries, Egyptian educational institutions also offer a wide range of courses to their pupils. In schools, generally basic education is provided to the children, whereas, in the colleges of Egypt, different types of courses for higher studies are offered. Students can choose the right option among these courses.

Modern English School Cairo is one of the most-preferred schools that are considered to be an effective international community that offers a learning development department, specialist teaching and secondary options. Here the students in the age group of 3-18 years are given training. It is one of the most popular schools in the Egyptian territory. Children from different nations come here to enroll their names in the school.

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