The government approved on Wednesday amendments to the universities organisation law imposing fees on students retaking exams when they fail as of the academic year starting autumn 2021, a cabinet statement read.

 

The bill set minimum and maximum limits for the new fees, suggesting each university board sets the exact sum annually in accordance with the number of repetitions.

 

According to the bill, the fees will range from EGP 6,000 to EGP 12,000 for students of the faculties of medicine and dentistry, EGP 5,000 to EGP 10,000 for students of the faculties of engineering, information technology, pharmacy, and physical therapy, EGP 4,000 to 6,000 for the students of the faculties of veterinary medicine, agriculture, science and nursing, and EGP 3,000 to EGP 6,000 for students of other educational institutes.

 

The returns will be allocated for improving the educational services at each university, the statement added.

 

Higher education minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said the state is committed to providing free education services at the country's universities and institutes in accordance with the Egyptian constitution.

 

"The use of the right to free education should not harm the public interest, as the state’s continued bearing of the costs of educating students who failed will inevitably lead to limiting the opportunities available to diligent students," the minister was quoted as saying.

 

"If these students want to pursue studying, they must bear part of the actual cost the state incurs due to repeating grades," he stressed.