Abdel-Latif clarified that this move aims to equip students with fundamental programming skills upon graduation.
The minister made his remarks during a symposium hosted by the National Press Authority to discuss the latest developments in the country's educational system.
Abdel-Latif highlighted Egypt's position as having the most extensive pre-university education system in the Middle East and North Africa.
The minister noted that this system is supported by 843,490 teachers and encompasses 550,000 classrooms across 29,698 public and private schools.
He added that during the 2023/2024 academic year, a staggering 25,494,232 students were enrolled in Egyptian schools.
Minister Abdel-Latif pointed out that the ministry currently prioritizes reducing classroom overcrowding, with plans to build 10,000 to 15,000 new classrooms annually.
Additionally, it applies innovative solutions, such as mobile classrooms and a two-shift system in some schools., he said.
Abdel-Latif confirmed a significant decrease in class sizes to below 50 students thanks to the creation of 98,744 additional classrooms.
However, he noted that this expansion has led to a teacher shortage, ranging from 469,860 to over 665,000.
To address this, the government intends to recruit 30,000 new teachers annually and contract 50,000 part-time teachers.
The minister added that the number of teaching weeks and class duration have also been extended, and additional pay is offered for extra classes.
He added that the ministry also seeks to improve student attendance by introducing an annual scoring system and extracurricular activities, noting that such steps have resulted in attendance rates exceeding 85 percent.
Secondary education overhaul
The education minister underlined the ministry's vision to restructure secondary education to meet international standards and better prepare students for the job market.
The third year of the secondary education phase, locally known as Thanaweya Amma, is critical for students and parents since it determines university prospects and professional careers.
The current system, applied this year, streamlined to focus on six core subjects in the first and second years of secondary school and five subjects in the final year.
Previously, high school students studied 32 subjects over three years.
Teaching time allocated to each subject has been increased to align with international standards, Abdel-Latif noted.
He said the new amendments were implemented according to a comparative study of secondary education systems in top-performing countries.
He added that the study revealed that the number of subjects studied in these nations ranges from six to eight annually.
The minister gave the IGCSE system, which typically involves eight to ten subjects over three years, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, which focuses on six subjects over two years, as examples.
The minister noted that the new high school curriculum aims to strengthen national identity by emphasizing Egyptian history and incorporating national topics.
It also prioritizes equipping students with essential job market skills, including teaching one foreign language.
The minister also discussed recent advancements in technical education, highlighting the opening of 11 new technical schools that offer diverse specializations and 100 new programme frameworks.
Abbel-Latif stressed all ministerial decisions are preceded by thorough research and analysis conducted by the ministry's affiliated research centres.
Short link: