Higher ed plans for rolling out a foundation year are hanging in the balance: The Higher Education Ministry’s plan to introduce a foundation year system at private and national universities is facing an uncertain future amid a potential remodeling of Thanaweya Amma that could do away with the need for it. Despite the cabinet’s approval in October, the implementation of the foundation year program has been suspended until the completion of community dialogue on the proposed high school baccalaureate system, which would offer similar benefits to students looking to improve their grades, sources at several private universities told EnterpriseAM.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

REMEMBER- The cabinet in October approved regulatory amendments that would allow private and national universities to accept students who did not meet the minimum admission requirements for their desired faculties by enrolling them in a foundation year starting from the 2024-25 academic year. Plans for a foundation year were first announced by the Higher Education Ministry in May.

Foundation year vs. baccalaureate system — a quick recap: If implemented, the foundation year — an optional program — would allow students to complete additional coursework under a credit-hour system to boost their high school scores, enabling them to enroll in colleges that they couldn't get into. Meanwhile, the baccalaureate system, an alternative to Thanaweya Amma, would allow students two re-takes following their primary exams to improve their grades. It would also cut down on the number of subjects students are required to take and add more tracks.

The framework for the foundation year system is still in the making: The Supreme Council of Universities has put off issuing foundation year guidelines for universities to follow until ongoing community dialogue on the baccalaureate system wraps up, one source told us. Universities were prepared to launch the foundation year in November of last year, which would have enabled students to join their chosen faculties by the second semester of this academic year, the source added. Additionally, a new committee set up by the Supreme Council of Universities had been working to develop these guidelines, a source at the council said.

What community dialogue? The Education Ministry is in talks with several stakeholders to gather recommendations and opinions on the baccalaureate system. The discussions, which have been in progress for weeks over a series of meetings, are scheduled to continue until next month before legislative amendments to the high school law are submitted to parliament. The dialogue involves the Supreme Council of Universities, the Teachers Syndicate, university professors, and over 2.6k school principals and education directors, among other participants.

There are two possible outcomes if the baccalaureate system comes into play. The baccalaureate system could eliminate the need for the foundation year altogether, as it offers an alternative mechanism for students to improve their scores, our sources said. Alternatively, the two systems could be implemented in tandem, with the foundation year remaining optional.

The perks of a dual approach: Our sources indicated that maintaining the foundation year would be particularly useful since its programs align with international curricula, making them suitable for students planning to study abroad or those who would rather take the coursework than retake their final baccalaureate exams. Conversely, the foundation year system could be marketed to compel more students to pursue studies in Egypt rather than abroad — which would cut down on foreign exchange expenditures — or to attract more international students to Egypt’s universities.

ICYMI- The government aims to attract 200k foreign students to local universities by 2030, a move which will help it reach its goal of attracting USD 2 bn in education tourism revenues by then, a source at the Higher Education Ministry previously told EnterpriseAM.

The system will primarily focus on four academic tracks — medicine, engineering, science, and humanities, one of our sources said.

The safeguards behind the system: Exams will be overseen by the Supreme Council of Universities, ensuring students receive additional grades to qualify for their desired specialization. The council will also develop eligibility criteria for universities seeking to offer foundation year programs — including the university’s ability to deliver the program effectively, its standing in local and international rankings, and partnerships with globally recognized universities.

Your top education story for the week- The Central Agency for Organization and Administration will oversee Al Azhar’s teacher recruitment procedures in a bid to create a uniform hiring process for teaching positions across both Al Azhar and the Education Ministry and address teacher shortages at Al Azhar institutions.

Tags: