the research and innovation system in egypt - ARTI Puglia

3. Education in Egypt
3.1. Introduction
Current educational philosophy in Egypt is the product of three cultural heritages: British,
secular (westernized) Egyptian, and Islamic (traditional) Egyptian. The British protectorate
in Egypt left an exclusionary, state-controlled education system structured to serve elite
(British) interests with little concern for the masses. The heritage was one of restricted
opportunity, unenforced limited education (generally of poor quality), and higher
education reserved mostly for the elite. Egyptians and non-English foreigners were left few
options but to expand private and religious education.
Muhammad Ali, regarded as the father of modern Egypt and its education system,
introduced a secular, modern, western educational philosophy complete with sciences.
Egyptian leaders since the bloodless revolution that ended the monarchy in 1952 have
espoused this approach, viewing it as essential to Egyptian development. Islamic
education remained in place and, eventually, the traditional Islamic and the western
educational tracks, with their differing orientations, created a dichotomized educational
culture that persists to the present.
The Islamic heritage provides an educational system, parallel to public education, that is
basically a system of transmitting culture. The Arab/Muslim heritage carries an orientation
that transcends national boundaries to include all Arabs and Muslims. From 1952 on, Nasser
offered free education, not only for Egyptians, but also for students from other Muslim
countries. At the same time, Egypt sent teachers and administrators out to the rest of the Arab
world where they set up and staffed schools and universities on a large scale.
Egypt’s educational system both reflects and augments the socio-economic status of its own
people. Historic conflicts between tradition and innovation, and between foreign and national
interests all influence contemporary Egyptian education. Education in Egypt has political,
social, and economic objectives, namely: education for strengthening democracy and
comprehensive development as a continuous process, within the framework of Arab culture.
Throughout the past 40 years, the strong autocratic government sometimes conflicted
with the democratization efforts in schools; nevertheless, the number of schools and
technical schools increased even in times of economic downturns.
There is an abiding belief in Egyptian education. It is viewed as vital to the transmission of
cultural values and as a critical force in individual development and in national Egyptian
development. Pre-university education reflects the dual secular and religious philosophies
as it aims to develop the learner culturally, scientifically, and nationally at successive
levels “with the aim of developing the Egyptian individual who is faithful to his God, his
homeland, and to the values of good, truth, and humanity”. Pre-university education
is supervised by the Ministry of Education while the Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research is responsible for university and higher Institute level education.
The public education system consists of three stages: the basic education stage for
4-15 year-olds (kindergarten for two years followed by primary school for six years and
28 the research and innovation system in Egypt