Egypt Education Legacy 35 Years of a Partnership in Education
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EGYPT EDUCATION LEGACY 35 YEARS OF A PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION January 2012 This report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development, Mission to Egypt (USAID/Egypt), under a task order of the Global Evaluation and Monitoring (GEM II) IQC, Contract No. EDH-E-23-08- 00003-00. It was prepared by the Aguirre Division of JBS International, Inc. Cover page photo by GILO project EGYPT EDUCATION LEGACY January 2012 The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. This document is available in printed and online versions. The online version is stored at the Development Experience Clearinghouse (http://dec.usaid.gov). Additional information can be obtained from [email protected]. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) would like to express sincere gratitude to the many institutions and people who have made the 35-year partnership in Egypt’s education sector so fruitful. The education system has benefited from the valuable collaboration of many Egyptian officials and policy makers. First, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Egypt, primarily the Ministry of Education. Several officials have led this office over the years, and we acknowledge each and every one of them. We are also grateful to staff in departments and units at the central, governorate (Muddiraya), district (Idara), and school levels. Success in the sector is due largely to the support and sincere cooperation of all these key actors. USAID would especially like to thank Dr. Reda Abou Serie, the current Deputy to the Minister of Education, who has been an extremely dedicated long-standing partner. Our gratitude also goes to other ministries, in particular the Ministry of International Cooperation, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Local Development, and the Ministry of Higher Education, with whom we have also cooperated over the years and whose support was crucial to our work. Over the years, the sector has benefited from the input of a number of Egyptian researchers and technical experts. These professionals, through their knowledge of the uniquely Egyptian context, not only helped to ensure that USAID’s work was sensitive to the local cultural, social, and political environment, but also elevated our work to a higher level. We would also like to express our appreciation to all of our implementing partners, from 1975 until the present day. There have been many who demonstrated dedication and commitment to excellence in order to produce the results that we are now proud to celebrate. Finally, we would like to thank the Egyptian citizens, the ultimate beneficiaries of our efforts in education. On a number of occasions, we witnessed firsthand the appreciation of those whose lives were directly and positively affected by our work. We will never forget the smiling faces of school children, as well as the enthusiasm of teachers and principals as they voiced their sincere appreciation for the support they received in their communities. We continue to wish them all much success in the years to come EGYPT EDUCATION LEGACY i FOREWORD Montaigne, in a classic essay on the characteristics of a good education—one directed towards developing ―a well-made head rather than a well-filled one‖—chose a compelling metaphor to capture its transformative power He wrote, ―Bees pillage the flowers here and there, but they then make honey of them which is all their own ‖ Successful nations enable open inquiry and independent judgment in their education systems. That spirit is a cornerstone of a free and democratic society. This report celebrates a generation of USAID supported achievements in the education sector in Egypt. Many of those milestones were significant and compelling. Cumulatively, they demonstrate that sustained smart investments can and do make a positive difference. Access to basic education, particularly for girls, has boomed. Better assessment tools, empirically based research products, benchmarking and stronger teacher training have become key features of the system. New models of tertiary education are flourishing. Bright young poor people from all over the country have been awarded university scholarships and programs to train Egyptians in American universities continue. Community engagement in school management has started to gain traction. Persistence, patience and strong partners facilitated these impressive outcomes. This sounds like success but the reality is that the Egyptian system today is a beehive without honey. Students graduate without rudimentary skills. Too many teachers teach to the test and not to Egypt’s future Oftentimes, they aren’t even in their classrooms Corrupt practices pervade much of the process. Universities are overcrowded and what they produce is not well correlated with priority growth opportunities. Research standards and citation indices are disappointing. The ailments are many and the challenges ahead daunting. Thankfully, there are wonderful Egyptians throughout the country who are committed to turning this situation around. The democratic opening provides a moment of hope and suggests that their idealism can find practical expression in a new era. We applaud their ideas and energy. USAID stands ready to work with Egyptians to build on the impressive outcomes detailed in this document in the years ahead. Sincerely, Walter North Mission Director USAID/Egypt ii EGYPT EDUCATION LEGACY CONTENTS Executive Summary ............................................................................................... v Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 The Partnership ..................................................................................................... 3 Key Achievements ................................................................................................. 4 Access and Gender Equity ......................................................................................................... 5 Community Participation.......................................................................................................... 12 Professional Development ....................................................................................................... 18 Policy Reform .............................................................................................................................. 25 Tertiary Education and Participant Training ........................................................................ 31 Sustainability ........................................................................................................ 38 Lessons and Conclusions ..................................................................................... 39 Notes ..................................................................................................................... 43 Annexes ................................................................................................................. 47 Annex I: Acronyms .................................................................................................................... 48 Annex 1I: Methodology ............................................................................................................ 49 Annex III: Obligations to Education ....................................................................................... 52 Annex IV: Data for Access and Gender Equity Section Graphs ..................................... 53 References ............................................................................................................ 54 Figures, Tables, and Success Stories Figure A. Egypt Inflation Rate (%) 1981–2011 ....................................................................... 2 Figure B: Gross Enrollment Rate in Primary Education by Gender (%) 1970–2009 .... 6 Figure C: Gross Enrollment Rate in Secondary Education By Gender (%) 1970–2009 .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure D: Board of Trustees (BOT) Membership at School, Idara, Muddiraya, and Central Levels ............................................................................................................................. 12 Figure E: Total MOE Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff 2005–2010 .............................. 19 Figure F: Higher Education System in Egypt and Percentage of Total Enrollment in 2008–09 ........................................................................................................................................ 31 Figure G: Number of USAID-Funded Trainees by Decade .............................................. 36 Table 1: Egypt Economic and Social Indicators in the1970s and Present ........................ 2 Table 2. Access Highlights in Numbers (1981 to Present) ................................................. 8 Table 3. Gender Equity Highlights in Numbers (1981 to Present) ................................. 10 Table 4. Community Participation Highlights in Numbers (1990s to Present) ............ 14 Table 5. Professional Development Highlights in Numbers (1980s to Present) ........ 24 Table 6. Planning, M&E Highlights in Numbers (2000 to Present) ................................. 30 EGYPT EDUCATION LEGACY iii Success Story 1: