Proposed shakeups to the education system continued to receive coverage on the airwaves

Lamess El Hadidi had a lot to say about the new Egyptian baccalaureate system last night, with the host choosing to dedicate her show to discussing the Education Ministry’s newly unveiled alternative to the Thanaweyya Amma.

“The new system is based on the ministry's previous studies and international systems, targeting two major problems — rigid academic tracks and single exam opportunities, which cause the Thanaweyya Amma nightmare and tremendous psychological, nervous, and financial pressure on Egyptian society,” Deputy Education Minister Ayman Bahaa told Kelma Akhira’s Lamees El Hadidi (watch, runtime: 45:48). The new system addresses these issues by providing multiple exam opportunities and reducing students' subject load, he added.

Next steps: The new system will be presented to the National Education Council once its board is formed and executive regulations are issued, Bahaa said.

Not about the money: Bahaa dismissed concerns about the system being designed to generate revenue, addressing the EGP 500 exam retake fee per subject after the first attempt.

The proposed system faces criticism: The new system has sparked widespread debate among Egyptian families. The Education Ministry seeks to implement it starting next academic year, despite the cabinet discussing it for only two hours before preliminary approval, with community dialogue scheduled for next Tuesday, El Hadidi said (watch, runtime: 10:08). “The decision-making mechanisms around education reveal that it unfortunately remains at the bottom of our priorities. What does it mean for the government to approve the system and announce its implementation next year, then put it up for community dialogue? Does community dialogue precede or follow decision making? And if the decision has been made, what's the need for community dialogue?"

Education policy needs stability: "Education should be state policy, not ministry or minister policy. Its most important element is stability. Countries don't change their education systems every two years...We've been in a state of continuous educational experimentation on students, families, and society for the past five years," El Hadidi said. “Each minister comes with their system...shaking Egyptian families about every year and a half. This is the highest expenditure item for Egyptian families and their only tool for social and economic advancement. We're doing all this amid a major economic crisis without considering the psychological and economic cost to people.”