Supreme council for education shouldn't be mini cabinet: Former minister

Ahram Online , Friday 4 Aug 2023

Former higher education minister Ashraf El-Shihi said the under-discussion Supreme Council for Education and Training should not be turned into a mini-cabinet, calling for increasing the number of experts on the body.

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The National Dialogue s special session for the Education and Scientific Research Committee to discuss amendments to the draft law for the establishment of the National Supreme Education and Training Council. Photo: Al-Ahram

 

El-Shihi’s remarks came during the National Dialogue’s special session for the Education and Scientific Research Committee held Thursday to discuss proposed amendments to the draft law for establishing the National Supreme Education and Training Council.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi instructed to put the draft law on the agenda of the National Dialogue.

For his part, Ahmed El-Qenawy, a member of the Youth Parties and Politicians Coordination Committee and a member of the Justice Party, also supported increasing the number of experts in the council. 

“It is necessary to increase the number of experts in the council so that it includes various specialities that enrich the education planning process. The council should include experts in culture, arts, research and innovation, industry, and entrepreneurship. It should also include representatives of the private sector, civil society, and student associations,” El-Qenawy explained.

He also asserted that the executive authority should only be represented by the Ministries of Education and Higher Education, in addition to the Prime Minister or their representative.

Afaf Zahran, a member of the House of Representatives, stressed that efficient management of the council’s finances is essential for its success. 

Zahran also proposed that the government should take advantage of the grant programmes that certain countries and international institutions provide as one way to finance the council.   

Moreover, she highlighted the importance of altering the conventional perception of vocational education among students and parents.

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