The figures were announced by UNICEF during the Envisioning Egypt’s Future in Education conference in the New Capital, to highlight the impact of educational reforms over the past two years that aimed at improving the future of Egyptian children.
Titled Presenting the Results of Egypt’s Education Reform Study: Evidence, Progress, and Future Vision, the event was organized by the Ministry of Education and Technical Education in cooperation with UNICEF, according to the Egyptian cabinet.
According to the study, school attendance rates increased from 15 percent to 87 percent during the reform period, while the number of school days rose from 110 to 174 annually.
The report also said classroom density in primary schools fell from 63 students per classroom in the 2023/2024 academic year to 41 students in 2025/2026, after nearly 2,000 classrooms had previously exceeded 100 students each.
The improvement came after expanding classroom capacity by 20 percent through reallocating 45,248 spaces inside schools for use as classrooms and restoring 53,496 unused spaces to serve as classrooms.
The study also pointed to efforts to address teacher shortages, which it said had reached nearly 470,000 teachers in core subjects.
Authorities said more than 133,340 teachers had been recruited under part-time contracts, alongside new hires through a government plan to appoint 30,000 teachers annually.
According to the report, the measures increased teaching capacity by 33 percent.
The study was based on field research conducted by UNICEF in cooperation with Egyptian researchers using random sampling and multiple data verification methods.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said during the conference that education quality was central to economic development and competitiveness.
He added that the Egyptian state views education as a national security issue, stemming from a belief that true investment begins with building people and developing its scientific, intellectual, and cultural capabilities, as they represent the nation’s most sustainable and influential asset for the future.
According to the Egyptian Cabinet, the government showcased during the conference the progress of its education reform programme, reviewing indicators measuring progress in Egypt’s education reform efforts between 2024 and 2026.
Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif said reforms focused not only on expanding access to schools but also on changing teaching methods and improving learning outcomes.
He added that the ministry had implemented a comprehensive reform agenda targeting all aspects of the education system, with a focus on quality, efficiency, fairness, and alignment with national development priorities and labour market needs.
UNICEF representative Natalia Rossi said Egypt had launched one of the region’s largest education reform programmes and had achieved measurable progress.
For his part, UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Mahmoud Mohieldin said the report highlighted positive indicators while also pointing to challenges that still needed to be addressed.
He pointed out that the presentation delivered by UNICEF was based on evidence and indicators confirming the success of the report, while also highlighting some challenges and risks that still require further work and attention in the coming phase.
Mohieldin explained that it had been a long journey to reach this stage and to produce the report with the required credibility and reliability, as well as the remarkable positive results and encouraging indicators across a number of areas.
The conference brought together government officials, diplomats, lawmakers, including Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and international organizations to discuss the future of education reform in Egypt.
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