A deep dive into the new Egyptian baccalaureate system: The new year kicked off with the Education Ministry putting forward a proposal for the Egyptian baccalaureate system — its alternative to the Thanaweya Amma system — to be implemented starting next academic year. So, what can we expect from this new system?

The new system at a glance: The new system is modeled after international baccalaureate systems and introduces a new mechanism that allows students two re-takes to improve their grades after completing their primary exams. Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif described it as a modern alternative to the current Thenaweya Amma system, adopting standards similar to those of global education systems — the IGCSE, IB, and Cambridge-certified Nile Schools. According to him, the system aligns with international educational practices in many countries.

Less subjects: If passed and implemented, the new system will reduce the number of subjects students have to study — students will only study seven subjects over two years instead of the 32 subjects they have to study under the current system.

And more tracks: The new system will give students four tracks to choose from — medical sciences, engineering and computer science, business, and arts and literature — replacing the currently limited choice between the arts and sciences tracks. Despite the track chosen, students will have to study four core subjects — Arabic, Egyptian history, foreign language, and religious studies.

Setting up students for the job market: The government is working to ensure students develop the skills in demand in the job market and improve the quality of pre-university education, Higher Education Minister Ayman Ashour said.

As it stands: The new system has already gotten the preliminary approval from the cabinet and is currently being discussed among community members — experts and specialists in the field of education, former ministers, and university presidents.

Not everyone is onboard: Opinions are divided regarding the new system — supporters argue it reduces the academic pressure on students by dividing the workload over two years, offering more time for specialization, while critics believe it adds new financial burdens on families and increases reliance on private tutoring.

Others are unhappy with the frequent changes to the Thanaweya Amma system, including Ala Masouleety’s Ahmed Moussa. “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?” he said.

Remember: The Education Ministry last year announced a new, revamped Thanaweya Ammasystem that aimed to compete with equivalent foreign certificates. The new system came into effect this academic year, reducing the number of subjects and putting a greater emphasis on critical thinking and analysis.

Why change it again? The proposed system addresses issues in the current system, such as the overwhelming number of subjects and the single-chance exam that heavily impacts students' futures, Abdel Latif said. The goal is to provide students with multiple options and prepare them for careers aligned with their passions.

Also among the changes: Religious subjects will be included in the overall grades, with the Islamic curricula being developed by Al Azhar and the Christian curricula being prepared by the Church.

What experts think: Former Education Minister Reda Hegazy praised the proposed system for reducing stress and easing pressure on students and families. Meanwhile, education expert Hassan Shahata told EnterpriseAM that the new system addresses longstanding issues in Egyptian education, prioritizing understanding over rote learning and familiarizing students with tech through the use of electronic exams. Additionally, the new tracks align with job market needs, ensuring students graduate with relevant skills.

Is it applicable? Shahata stressed that the system’s success depends on ensuring teachers and schools are well equipped to apply it. He also suggested condensing the system into one year to reduce the financial burden on families.

Clear mechanisms: The Education Ministry needs to announce the guidelines of exam re-entry so students can better prepare for their final years of school.

A point for delaying implementation: Hegazy and Shahata both recommended delaying implementation to allow time for better planning and curriculum development.

What does this mean for the foundation year system? The Egyptian baccalaureate system introducing exam re-takes allowing students to improve their grades if needed may make the newly-introduced foundation year system not needed. Efforts are being made to integrate the foundation year with the baccalaureate system, an Education Ministry source told us, explaining that students will have to choose between enrolling in a foundation year and receiving bonus points toward their overall scores and re-taking their finals to ensure better grades.

Parents are onboard: Most parents support the proposed system — a survey found that 76% of parents favored the baccalaureate system and 24% preferred the current Thanaweya Amma system.

What’s next? Following the community dialogue sessions, the proposal will go to the Ministerial Group for Human Development to be presented to the cabinet in its final form, Deputy Prime Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said.

Your top education stories for the week:

  • The American University in Cairo’s School of Continuing Education will give aspiring tour guides the “essential skills needed to pursue their career as professional tour guides and learn how to represent Egypt’s rich cultural and historical heritage” under a partnership with the Grand Egypt Museum.
  • Negotiations are currently underway to open branches of Egyptian universitiesoverseas, with the efforts taking place within a push to internationalize the higher education sector in Egypt and education service exports. Higher Education Ministry spokesman Adel Abdel Ghaffar named Cairo University, Alexandria University, and Ain Shams University as among the universities that will hopefully soon sign agreements.
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