The Cabinet Media Centre said in a statement that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research dismissed these reports as groundless.

Egypt has mandated coronavirus vaccination for teaching staff, employees, and workers, as well as students who are 18 years or older at lower and higher education institutions in the new academic year, which started on 9 October.

Workers and students have not been allowed into schools and universities without proof of either receiving at least one dose of a vaccine or a weekly negative PCR result. 

The academic year started with physical attendance required from both students and teaching staff at schools and universities after 18 months of a hybrid educational system of online and in-person classes due to the pandemic.

The government has allocated 302 vaccination centres in 60 universities nationwide to vaccinate university staff and students, administering a total of 1.2 million doses of  vaccines through 16 October.

The higher education ministry called on students who have not been vaccinated yet to swiftly get the vaccine at points inside the universities.

The health ministry has inoculated around 2.1 million in the pre-university education sector and around 1 million in the university sector.