The government is preparing to roll out a new wave of investment offerings in Egypt’s education sector as part of efforts to attract private participation and ease pressure on public resources, a government source told EnterpriseAM. The plan will help the state achieve its aims of attracting EGP 90 bn in private education investments this fiscal year and increase the private sector’s investment contribution from a current 17-25% in recent years.

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The Education Ministry and the General Authority for Investment and Freezones have agreed to classify education as a strategic sector under Egypt’s new investment map, our source told us. The authority has already listed 39 schools and universities among the new investment openings, with available land and ready-to-operate schools offered through ownership or usufruct agreements, as well as incentives for investors.

A new PPP framework is also being developed to build 54 language schools across various governorates, the Finance Ministry’s public-private partnership unit head Atter Hannoura told EnterpriseAM. The program will feature new incentives and eliminate previous obstacles that hindered progress. Local authorities have already allocated land for the project, with investor prequalification expected by 1Q 2026. The model aims to bridge the gap between public and private education where the state provides the land and the private partners handle construction, management, and delivery of high-quality education.

Beyond K-12 education, the government plans to attract investment in technical and agricultural education. The Education Ministry, in collaboration with the Finance Ministry, will soon offer investment opportunities to establish agricultural and vocational schools using state-owned land, including plots along the Nile, Hannoura said.

Also ongoing are discussions with several European and Gulf education-focused investment funds interested in expanding their footprint in the local market, our government source told us. These investments could come through direct partnerships or by taking advantage of new offerings from the state, given the sustained demand for education. The government is currently finalizing a package of incentives for investors, with results expected soon in tandem with ongoing smart city and urban expansion projects.

Egypt’s demographics make it an attractive market for education investors. The country had around 25.7 mn pre-university students during the 2023-2024 academic year. Children under 18 make up 43% of Egypt’s total population, including 13% under the age of four, meaning demand for education services is set to continue growing across all levels. Based on an annual population growth rate of 2.5%, total demand for basic education is projected to reach 34 mn students by 2030.

Enrollment at the secondary level stood at 12.2 mn students in 2023 and is expected to increase by an average of 6.6% annually to 14.8 mn by 2026. Private education currently represents 9.8% of secondary enrollment and is expected to rise to 10.7% by 2026. University enrollment is also on an upward trajectory, climbing from 3.2 mn students in 2023 to an expected 3.3 mn in 2026. Household spending on education is also rising, with pre-university education spending projected to reach EGP 1.8 tn between 2024 and 2030.

The availability of land has been the biggest challenge for private investors, Al Omran Schools Chairman Saber Omran told EnterpriseAM. Land in densely populated areas is either scarce or prohibitively expensive, he explained. The government’s plan to offer ready-to-operate schools or public-private partnership projects could help unlock more investment in the sector.

Currency challenges remain a deterrent for foreign investors: Exchange rate volatility and the requirement to collect tuition fees in EGP — which reduces the value of profits sent abroad — are discouraging Gulf and international investors, British International School Cairo Chairman Ahmed Samir told EnterpriseAM. He added that international schools in new urban communities currently offer the most attractive opportunities, given the high demand for premium education options. However, the mid-tier school segment continues to lack investors, leaving a gap in the market that has yet to be filled.

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