Explainer: All you need to know about Egypt's overhauled Thanaweya Amma education system

Radwa ElSayed Hani , Thursday 15 Aug 2024

Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif unveiled a comprehensive restructuring plan for the Thanaweya Amma (high school) education system on Wednesday, set to take effect in the 2024/2025 academic year.

Thanaweya Amma

 

During a press conference attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Abdel-Latif stated that the plan, developed in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, aims to redesign the scientific and cognitive content of high school education.

The minister indicated that the restructuring of secondary education aims to put emphasis on national identity by deepening the study of Egypt's history and integrating national topics into the curriculum. It also focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary to meet the demands of the job market, the minister noted.

Additionally, he said, there is a strong emphasis on mastering one core foreign language, with an increased number of class hours dedicated to its study.

First Year of Thanaweya Amma

 

The most significant change for 10th grade, known domestically as the first year of Thanaweya Amma, is the reduction in the number of subjects from ten to six, compared to the previous academic year 2023/2024.

The curricula have also been updated to classify the Second Foreign Language, along with the "Religious Education" subject, as pass/fail, meaning they will not impact the overall grade.

The redesigned curriculum will introduce a "Combined Science" subject, which will replace the previously separate Chemistry, Physics, and Biology subjects.

Additionally, Geography, which was previously a required subject for first-year students, will now be reserved for students in the literature section in the following year.

Starting with the upcoming academic year, the 10th-grade curriculum will include Arabic Language, First Foreign Language, History, Mathematics, Combined Science, and Philosophy and Logic.

Second Year of Thanaweya Amma
 

The ministry's changes will also impact 11th-grade students, known domestically as the second year of Thanaweya Amma, with a further reduction in the number of subjects from eight to six.

In addition, it has decided to classify the Second Foreign Language as a pass/fail subject that does not impact the overall grade and restructuring the Mathematics to be one subject.

For the Scientific Section, the subjects for the 2024/2025 academic year will include Arabic Language, First Foreign Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. However, History Subject will replace Biology in the following two academic years.

For the Literature Section, 11th-grade students will study Arabic Language, First Foreign Language, History, Geography, Psychology, and Statistics.

Third Year of Thanaweya Amma
 

The ministry has similarly decided that for 12th-grade students in the Science section, the Second Foreign Language and Geology and Environmental Sciences subjects will now be pass/fail and will not be included in the total grades.

For students in the Mathematics section, the Second Foreign Language will also be excluded from the total grades, and Mathematics will be redesigned as a single subject.

Additionally, for Literature section students, Psychology and the Second Foreign Language will also be relegated to pass/fail status.

The total number of subjects will be reduced from seven to five.

The subjects for students in the Science Section will include Arabic Language, First Foreign Language, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

The subjects for students in the Mathematics Section will include Arabic Language, First Foreign Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics.

The subjects for students in the Literature Section will include Arabic Language, First Foreign Language, History, Geography, and Statistics.

Exams of third year of Thanaweya Amma are critical for students and parents since they determine university prospects and professional careers.

Classroom Overcrowding and Teacher Shortages
 

Beyond curriculum changes, the minister stated that the ministry is also addressing logistical challenges in the education system.

To combat overcrowded classrooms, secondary schools will be split into morning and evening shifts, he noted.

This adjustment will enable some schools to accommodate primary students during the morning hours, optimizing the use of educational facilities.

The ministry is also tackling the chronic teacher shortage through a presidential initiative to hire 30,000 teachers annually.

It also plans to contract 50,000 part-time teachers to meet staffing needs across various educational administrations.

Furthermore, the academic year will be extended from 23 to 31 weeks, with each class period increased by five minutes to ensure adequate instructional time.

According to the ministry, the new school year 2024/2025 will begin on 21 September 2024.

The first semester of the new school year will run from 21 September 2024 to 23 January 2025. Mid-term exams will begin on 11 January 2025.

On the other hand, the second semester will begin on 8 February 2025.

The final exams for Thanaweya Amma will begin on 14 June 2025.

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