The education system is in for some major changes as the Madbouly government moves ahead with amendments aimed at aligning schooling with labor market needs. The House of Representatives is reviewing cabinet-drafted amendments to the Education Law that would expand vocational training, keep Thanaweya Amma as a three‑year track, and introduce new pathways.

The House of Representatives received the amendments yesterday, according to a statement. House Speaker Hanafi Gebali referred the bill to a joint committee between the education, budget, and constitutional affairs committees for review.

BREAKING DOWN THE AMENDMENTS-

#1- Keeping the Thanaweya Amma system as a three-year track, with religion studies, Arabic, and history as core subjects across all education stages.

#2- A revamped vocational education system: The government plans to replace the current technical secondary education track with technical and technological secondary education — a three-year program aligned with university requirements. Advanced technical education will be replaced by advanced technological education, with a five-year curriculum.

The amendments build on the government’s broader push to overhaul vocational education: The cabinet last month approved draft amendments introducing a vocational track as a third high school pathway alongside the science and arts tracks. The government also plans to establish 536 new technical classrooms, renovate 902 existing ones, and upgrade facilities to improve accessibility and training quality for vocational and technical students.

#3- A new professional education track: The amendments introduce a vocational secondary education program lasting one or two years to prepare vocational workers. This track will not qualify students for university or higher institutes.

#4- Technical education fees outlined: Fees for technical secondary education will not exceed EGP 1k, with retake fees capped at EGP 500 per subject. Evaluation exam fees in technical secondary schools can reach up to EGP 200, as set by the Education Minister.

#5- Paid programs open new pathways: The amendments allow the government to set up integrated programs equivalent to Thanaweya Amma or technical secondary education. Students would pay up to EGP 1k in fees, with EGP 500 per subject for retakes — the fees could be doubled within set limits.

#6- Retake rules: The amendments regulate retaking Thanaweya Amma courses in case of failure, specifying eligible subjects, retake limits, and exam timings. Retake fees will range from EGP 200 to 2k per subject.

#7- Temporary fix for teacher shortages: To address the teacher shortage — the education system faces a deficit of 600k teachers — the amendments allow educators reaching retirement age during the academic year to continue working until year-end.

WHY THESE CHANGES MATTER-

Addressing the skilled labor gap: A government source told EnterpriseAM the new vocational track aims to supply Egypt’s labor market with industrial specializations needed for the country’s industrial development push. The source said the track will run alongside technical and technological education as part of broader pre-university reforms to equip students with academic and practical skills for future job market needs. The government aims to increase the industrial sector’s GDP contribution from 14% to 20% by 2030, creating 7-8 mn jobs. The source noted that the vocational track will help fill the gap in skilled technical labor, with ongoing partnerships with the private sector to support financing and training, alongside curriculum updates.

Closing system gaps: Ain Shams University Professor at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Hassan Shehata told EnterpriseAM that Egypt’s severe shortage of skilled labor drove the integration of vocational education into the industrial development strategy. The shift is designed to change the perception of technical education as a promising path with university prospects, boosting demand for it.

These are not the only changes the education system is in for: The Education Ministry is planning to replace the Thanaweya Amma with a new baccalaureate system. The system would cut subjects from 32 to 7, introduce four specialization tracks, allow two grade re-takes, and align with international standards like the IB and IGCSE. It has already received cabinet sign-off and is now subject to community consultation. The new system is set to be rolled out for the 2027-2028 academic year once digital infrastructure is in place.

DIVE DEEPER: We covered the ins and outs of the new system in a Blackboard published earlier this year.

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