Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt and Japan launch new chapter in education collaboration
In a significant step towards strengthening educational ties, Egypt’s Minister of Education and Technical Education, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, met with Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr. Yohei Matsumoto, for talks aimed at expanding their two countries’ strategic partnership.
The meeting, held under the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, reflects the growing commitment of both nations to foster collaborative human development and skill enhancement for future generations.
During their discussions, Dr. Abdel Latif emphasized that educational cooperation with Japan has evolved beyond mere exchange of expertise. "Our partnership now serves as an integrated model reflecting a shared vision of building human capacity and enhancing skills from the earliest educational stages," he said. He highlighted Egyptian-Japanese School initiatives and announced ambitious plans to extend the model to 500 schools across Egypt within five years.
One of the exciting developments in this partnership is the introduction of Japanese language education in Egypt. Starting next academic year, Japanese language lessons will be taught in ten Egyptian-Japanese Schools as a pilot phase, and there are plans to expand this initiative even further in the near future.
The partnership also supports Egypt’s move towards equipping students with digital skills for the future. Programming and artificial intelligence are being introduced throughout Egypt’s technical education system. Dr. Abdel Latif shared that within two years, an estimated five million students will be studying programming using AI-based platforms. This is a bold step towards preparing young people for the demands of the digital age.
Curriculum development is another important area of cooperation. Egypt and Japan are working together to update math and science curricula to ensure full alignment with Japanese educational standards. The updated math curriculum has already been launched in grade one across all Egyptian schools this year.
The partnership is also focused on inclusive learning. Egypt is drawing on Japanese expertise to offer quality education for students with special needs, starting with a model center in 10th of Ramadan City and with plans to establish more centers in the future.
In teacher training, Egypt continues to collaborate with Japanese institutions such as Hiroshima University, the Egypt-Japan University, and teacher training academies to make sure Egyptian educators can benefit from cutting-edge Japanese pedagogical methods.
Japanese Minister Yohei Matsumoto expressed his honor at visiting Egypt—his first overseas trip since assuming office—and praised the meaningful results of applying Japanese educational practices in Egypt. "The success we have seen here provides an important foundation for our joint progress, and useful lessons to improve both Egyptian and Japanese systems," he stated. He also affirmed Japan's readiness to increase the number of Japanese education experts working in Egypt.
Both sides agreed to form a joint working group to closely monitor and speed up the implementation of these new initiatives, heralding a new era of deepened educational cooperation.
The meeting was attended by key officials from both nations, including Mr. Iwai Fumio, Japanese Ambassador to Egypt, and Dr. Hany Helal, Secretary General of the Egypt-Japan Education Partnership, alongside educational leaders, strategists, and representatives from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).
This landmark meeting affirms the powerful role of education as a bridge of understanding and progress between Egypt and Japan. Both nations look forward to nurturing future generations together, equipping young people with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.