The nation’s hosts took note of a new proposed alternative to the Thanaweya Amma system

Last night’s talk shows zeroed in on the Egyptian baccalaureate system — a proposed alternative to the Thanaweya Amma system — introduced by Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif yesterday.

The proposed system seeks to end the “Thanaweya Amma nightmare,” Education Ministry spokesperson Shady Zalata told Ahmed Moussa on Ala Masouleety (watch, runtime 22:56). The ministry plans to open the proposal to public consultation with parents, trustees, experts, and the media before seeking parliamentary approval. If passed, the system is expected to be introduced for first-year high school students in the next academic year.

“The baccalaureate system is simpler compared to the current Thanaweya Amma system and aims to offer students a smoother and more effective learning experience,” said Zalata. The proposed framework would replace the traditional division between arts and sciences tracks with a more integrated and inclusive model, designed to minimize disruption for both students and their families.

Ahmed Moussa voiced his criticism of the ministry’s announcement, expressing surprise at the frequent changes to the Thanaweya Amma system in recent years (watch, runtime 5:18). “It’s strange how the education system keeps changing all of a sudden,” he remarked. “Every three or four years, we’re changing the education system in Egypt. Is this normal?,” the host said.

Cabinet spokesperson Mohamed El Homsany sought to tamp down concerns, explaining to Sherif Amer that the system is still in its early stages (watch, runtime 8:23). “This is just a preliminary plan,” he said, adding that a ministerial committee is still finalizing the details. Unlike the current system, the baccalaureate will focus on intellectual and critical thinking skills rather than brute memorization, El Homsany said.

IN OTHER EDUCATION NEWS- The government is looking to hire 72k new teachers to address the current nationwide shortage, Prime Minister Mostafa Madboly announced during his weekly presser. Madblouly arrived at the figure after calculating that Egypt is already 12k teachers behind its 30k a year target and has another 60k to recruit throughout 2025 and 2026.