Egypt's education minister outlines reform results and phase-out of evening school shifts

Education Minister Mohamed Abdel-Latif told the Egypt Forum 2026 that attendance has risen and outlined plans to end evening shifts by 2029.

• Abdel-Latif said student attendance rose from 15% in 2023/2024 to 87% in 2025/2026, with a target of 96%.
• The minister announced evening shifts will end in primary schools by September 2027, preparatory by 2028, and secondary by 2029.
• Abdel-Latif said 150,000 classrooms were built over ten years at 150–200 billion Egyptian pounds, cutting class sizes below 50 students.
• He said applied technology schools grew from 62 in 2023/2024 to 225 in 2026/2027, surpassing the 2030 government target of 200.
• Abdel-Latif said all students in every Egyptian school will study Arabic, history, and religious education, declaring the issue settled.
• He said the Egyptian Baccalaureate curricula are accredited and reviewed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.
• He said partnerships with Italy and Germany let applied technology graduates continue studies in Italy or earn EU-valid qualifications.
• Abdel-Latif said higher attendance reduced reliance on private tutoring, pledging ongoing efforts to improve teacher performance and family trust.