Sisi urges precautions against Covid-19 ahead of new academic year

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi directed on Wednesday that all precautionary measures be taken to protect students and teachers against the coronavirus pandemic, a statement by the presidency said.

Sisi’s remarks came during his meeting with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly, Health Minister Hala Zayed, presidential health adviser Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din and state officials.

Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said in the meeting tackled follow-up efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus and the preparations to combat a possible second wave of the pandemic, as well as the precautionary measures in the advent of the new school year.

Egypt’s 2020/2021 school year will begin on 17 October. It is yet undecided if students will return to classrooms full-time. The decision to push back the school year to October instead of the September was the result of the spread of the coronavirus.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the president directed the Ministry of Health to coordinate efforts to guarantee the safety of the students and teachers and the smooth operation of the academic process.

Sisi also called for intensifying awareness campaigns among the public against the virus and to continue the state’s general plan to coexist with the respiratory virus.

Schools and universities suspended classes in March in the wake of the pandemic. Most students have remained at home since, with assignments given online, although pupils taking their final high school exams did so in person in June and July.

Earlier in August, Minister of Education Tarek Shawky said the plan for dealing with the new academic year will be explained in detail by the first week of September.

On Tuesday, El-Sisi met with Shawky to discuss preparations for the new academic year and was briefed by the minister on the ministry’s comprehensive upgraded plan for the education system, including a digital transformation and a revamping of the high school system.