Back to school
Frederik Richter | Egypt School in Egypt starts these days, and the local papers are quoting a study conducted by the Ministry of Education that estimates annual spending on private lessons to have reached some LE13 billion. This does not even include private lessons for university students.
This turn-over makes the private lesson industry one of the largest sectors of the Egyptian economy, I guess. For comparison, the Egyptian construction industry is not much heavier. (It's amazing how much money Egyptian households are able to mobilize given the official GPD per capita.)
Meanwhile, the government tries to attract private investments under public-private partnerships to build 50 new elementary and secondary schools. As part of his presidential campaign promises, Mubarak promised 3,500 new schools until 2011.
However, I’ve heard of newly built schools financed by international donors that 12 months after their inauguration are falling apart, as no funds and capacities exist for maintenance.
I’m wondering what over 700,000 civil servants working in the administration of Egypt’s educational system are actually doing. They are the true obstacle to reform in this sector.
Reader Comments (4)
I think the civil servants (as well as schoolteachers) would be a more proactive if they were paid properly, and on time. It's hard to be a motivated worker when the government can't manage to get even your LE 800 salary to you at the end of the month, I would imagine.
Are you sure it`s LE800? I thought it would be even less.
I agree, I certainly didn't mean to blame the employees themselves.
Amazing, against all other societal indications of lack of interest in education, Egyptian families are willing to spend that much to ensure their kids learn something (or atleast succeed in their education).
Which papers are reporting this Ministry of Ed study? I haven't been able to find it.
-gigi