“The development of education is ongoing in accordance with the state's plan, with the possibility of modifying the implementation mechanisms so that citizens feels the change on the ground,” Hegazy said on Sunday.

The upgrade has become inevitable in light of the fourth and fifth industrial revolution and digital transformation, Hegazy asserted during a symposium organised by the National Press Authority (NPA) and attended by board chairmen and editors-in-chief of national press institutions.

Egypt has recently started to introduce strategic changes in the educational system with the aim of replacing the decades-long culture of memorising for tests with one focused on student-centred teaching and life skills, including introducing new system for the traditional final high school (Thanaweya Amma) exams.

The new system is expected to be fully implemented by 2030.

Hegazy said that the ministry has made some modifications to the fourth grade curriculum “without compromising the desired education outcomes."

Last year, a plan spearheaded by former education minister Tarek Shawky to overhaul the fourth-grade curriculum speaheaded  stirred uproar among many parents who complained that the curriculum was too long to be studied in one year.

In Late, August, the ministry, led by a newly-appointed Hegazy, announced that it would introduce modifications to the fourth grade's curriculum for the upcoming school year.

New curricula aim to help students think critically and utilise the multiplicity of educational resources like digital platforms, Hegazy stressed.

The minister added that there is “no development without improving teachers' performance and paying attention to their dignity and prestige.”

The ministry aims to train teachers on a host of programmes, he added, while stressing the importance of not allowing individuals to practice the teaching profession without a professional license.

Hegazy said the return of students to regular attendance in schools is a strategic goal in accordance with Egypt’s 2030 vision, given schools' role in building students' character, in referrence to the widespread reliance on private lessons and private education centres as an alternative to attending classes.

Hegazy said this goal can be achieved by integrating the ministry's recently introduced online education channels with the academic programme as well as the return of all school activities.

Meanwhile, Hegazy said the media plays a pivotal role in raising awareness of the public, including with regards to education development projects undertaken by the ministry.

Chairman of the National Press Authority (NPA) Abdel-Sadek El-Shorbagy said that Egyptian journalists appreciate the efforts made by the Ministry of Education and Technical Education to improve the national educational system.

El-Shorbagy also emphasised the pivotal role played by national press institutions to promote culture and raise people's awareness of the challenges facing the Egyptian state, stressing Egyptian journalists' commitment to clarifying facts for the public and dispelling rumours.