Speaking at the “Securing Egypt’s Future Through Education Transformation: New Evidence, Progress, and the Way Forward” conference, Abdellatif stated that over the past 20 months, the country has undertaken one of the boldest and most comprehensive education reform programmes in its modern history under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

The minister highlighted that the secondary education system has undergone a fundamental update with the introduction of a new Baccalaureate system, designed to provide multiple opportunities for students and ease psychological and social pressures on Egyptian families. He noted that an agreement was signed in London two days ago with the International Baccalaureate organization to review the educational frameworks and curricula of the new Egyptian certificate.

The broader reform agenda goes beyond expanding access to education to redefining what and how students learn, and how their outcomes are measured, Abdellatif said. The reforms include developing curricula to the latest international standards, expanding digital transformation and applied technology schools, building new schools, and upgrading technological infrastructure.

“We realised that every generation needs components and skills that must be reflected in the educational system to keep pace with the development of building a balanced personality,” Abdellatif said, warning that stagnation in the system leads to intellectual rigidity, slow responses to change, and the stifling of creativity.

The minister outlined ambitions to graduate a generation equipped to adapt to rapid global changes.

“We look forward to building a generation that masters programming and artificial intelligence skills, possesses financial literacy tools, and is capable of openness to the digital economy and non-banking financial activities,” he added.

Addressing the role of educators, Abdellatif stressed that improving teachers’ living conditions is at the forefront of the government’s development agenda, describing them as the true driving force of any reform project. He noted that the ministry has introduced training programmes at international standards in cooperation with Japan’s Hiroshima University.

Directing his remarks to the country’s educators, he said: “Every educational renaissance begins with a teacher whose mind believes in reform and whose heart beats with sincerity … thank you, you remain a pillar for Egypt in building the future.”

Abdellatif thanked Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for his continuous support of the decisions and his field visits to schools across various governorates, which confirm the state’s commitment to making education a fundamental pillar of national development.

The minister also praised the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for its deep-rooted partnership in developing education and supporting children in Egypt. He stated that the cooperation proves international partnerships are a genuine catalyst for tangible and measurable change when governments and the UN work side by side.

Concluding his remarks, Abdellatif said: “The task of building a human being will remain the most difficult challenge, but it is the most enduring in its impact across time.”

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Speaking at the second plenary session of the Education World Forum in London, titled “Education for Future Readiness in a Rapidly Changing World,” Abdellatif stated that skills are the true engine of state power. He outlined Egypt’s agenda to align curricula, assessments, teachers, technology, data, and school governance to prepare learners for a rapidly changing world driven by artificial intelligence, climate pressures, demographic shifts, and global competition.

Abdellatif noted that future readiness requires redesigning education itself rather than merely adding technology to outdated structures. He highlighted the introduction of the Egyptian Baccalaureate, describing it as a structural and philosophical shift aimed at moving learning away from exam pressure towards mastery, applied knowledge, research, critical thinking, and student choice. The new system seeks to produce students capable of explaining answers, defending opinions, and linking knowledge to real life, aligning with both international standards and national priorities.

“If we evaluate memorisation only, we teach memorisation,” Abdellatif said, adding that evaluating thinking, application, and communication teaches students how to think.

For years, education systems measured progress through access indicators such as enrollment rates, school numbers, desk availability, and completion rates, the minister noted. While these remain essential, Egypt is shifting its focus from whether children are in schools to whether effective learning is occurring in the classroom.

Recent state interventions have focused on restoring the central role of the school by boosting attendance, reducing class densities, addressing teacher shortages, increasing learning time, and utilising data to guide decisions. Abdellatif emphasised that these operational details are the foundation of reform, noting that success is not a finish line but a responsibility to achieve continuous improvement.

The minister stressed that future readiness does not mean abandoning basic learning, asserting that AI requires literacy and innovation requires numeracy. Egypt’s reform links fundamental learning with digital skills, technical abilities, financial literacy, communication, creativity, teamwork, and ethical decision-making.

Addressing the role of technology, Abdellatif said AI should be treated as a supportive tool rather than a trend, functioning to expand access without replacing the human connection central to learning. A future-ready classroom empowers teachers with better tools, training, and data, while students must learn to use technology consciously and responsibly.

The reform agenda also targets technical and vocational education, which the minister identified as central to national competitiveness and social mobility. Abdellatif called for multiple educational pathways that command equal respect, ensuring technical tracks are linked to industry, digital transformation, green skills, and entrepreneurship.

He added that systemic reform must be equitable, with success measured by improvements in the most crowded classrooms, rural schools, and underprivileged communities. Data is crucial in this effort, allowing the state to identify where teachers are needed, where class densities are high, and where support must be redirected.

Abdellatif concluded that Egypt remains open to global expertise while maintaining its national privacy and identity. The overarching goal, he stated, is to build individuals equipped with both future skills and strong values, who are globally competitive yet connected to their communities.

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During the meeting, Abdellatif highlighted progress within the educational process. “Student attendance rates are generally high, reaching approximately 85%,” he stated.

The proposed alternative to the General Secondary Education Certificate (Thanawiya Amma), known as the “Baccalaureate,” was also reviewed. According to the Minister, community dialogue sessions have involved discussions with education experts and specialists.

Abdellatif emphasised the Ministry’s initiatives regarding technical education, referencing his visit in February to the Salesian Institute “Don Bosco” alongside the Italian Minister of Education and the Italian Ambassador to Cairo. During the visit, they inaugurated the Italian Village model within the school.

“Coordination is underway with prominent business leaders from the private sector to facilitate the employment of graduates from these schools,” Abdellatif confirmed.

The Minister of Education noted that letters of intent had been signed to create a joint platform promoting convergence between education systems and to establish the Egyptian-Italian Employment Centre. The latter aims to provide students and graduates with skills and training for the labour market via partnerships between educational institutions and industries in both countries. The signing took place with the head of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the head of the Italian Industries Federation, and representatives of 30 Italian companies in attendance.

A cooperation protocol was signed between the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) focusing on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to support Egyptian higher technical institutes. A cooperation agreement was also signed between AICS and Eni concerning the hospitality school in Damietta, within the framework of the – TEJPA program designed to improve technical education and employment prospects through the higher technical school model.

The Minister clarified that the collaboration with Italy extends to other areas, noting ongoing coordination with the Italian Ambassador to establish new hotel schools in Egypt via partnerships with the private sector and Italian expertise. The partnership also aims to strengthen applied technology school projects in sectors such as textiles, mining, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. According to Abdellatif, these projects “play a key role in development by qualifying highly skilled and trained technical workers.”

Abdellatif mentioned international visits to strengthen cooperation with foreign partners. He cited his visit to Japan, stating that the country has “become a leading model in education, thanks to its innovative methods that contribute to improving educational standards and student performance.”

The visit to Japan focused on technology, programming, support for students with disabilities, curriculum development and assessment systems. It included tours of Japanese educational institutions and meetings with officials.

The Minister of Education also mentioned his visit to Germany, where he held meetings to discuss strengthening cooperation mechanisms in pre-university education. He visited schools in Berlin to study German educational methods and practices, particularly the inclusion system.

Abdellatif also highlighted cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, to strengthen aspects of cooperation with the private sector in developing agricultural technical schools. These efforts align with state plans to improve technical education outcomes.

The Minister reviewed efforts in cooperation with private sector investors to benefit from the existing 172 agricultural schools, aiming to achieve development in the agricultural sector. This includes preparing technical workers trained in modern techniques, irrigation methods, livestock management and organic crops, while aligning agricultural education with labour market needs and creating new specializations.

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