Egypt, Japan strengthen educational cooperation

Egypt’s Minister of Education Mohamed Abdel Latif met on Wednesday with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka to explore ways to enhance Japan’s technical support for joint educational initiatives. The discussions focused on expanding special needs education and strengthening technical training programs to better equip students with practical skills.

During the meeting, Minister Abdel Latif expressed his appreciation for JICA’s ongoing support, particularly in the successful expansion of the Egyptian-Japanese Schools initiative. He reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to incorporating Japanese educational principles across all schools nationwide and extending cooperation into new areas, including special education for children. He also emphasised the potential for leveraging Japanese expertise to strengthen educational partnerships across the African continent.

The minister highlighted the importance of technical education collaboration, particularly through the Applied Technology Schools model, which partners with Japanese companies to provide students with hands-on training. He also stressed the need to introduce Japanese language programmes to enhance employment opportunities for Egyptian graduates in Japanese-affiliated businesses.

Additionally, Minister Abdel Latif underscored the significance of educator training initiatives and fostering a supportive learning environment, noting that Egypt remains committed to working closely with JICA to achieve its ambitious educational goals.

JICA President Akihiko Tanaka praised President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s initiative to implement the Egyptian-Japanese Schools system, which has gained widespread recognition in both Egypt and Africa. He expressed satisfaction with the programme’s success and enthusiasm for expanding this model to other countries, including cooperation in special needs education.

The meeting reinforced the deepening educational partnership between Egypt and Japan, paving the way for new opportunities in specialised education, workforce development, and regional cooperation.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser