Since its establishment, the Education First Foundation has worked to connect civil society organizations with the aim of creating collective action to support the public education sector in Egypt. Education First began its work with a capacity-building project for official and distinguished language schools (experimental schools) across Egypt. The initiative started with the first training course in 2013 for forty experimental school principals in Cairo Governorate, in addition to a scholarship program for 27 top-performing students in the primary and preparatory certificate exams in Obour Educational Directorate, supported directly by New Generation International Schools and coordinated with the Ministry of Education. In 2014, the foundation decided to expand its activities to include supporting professional development in 1,004 official language schools (government experimental schools). It invited civil society organizations and corporate social responsibility departments to support this project, which serves nearly one million students enrolled in official language schools across Egypt. The initiative then expanded to include the sustainable development sector, where 15,000 trainees were trained, including teachers in science, mathematics, and English, as well as educational leaders (assistant principals, principals, heads of official language school administrations, and directors and deputy directors of educational districts). When the foundation began its work, the number of these schools was 721. Today, they number nearly 1,000, serving approximately one million students. The foundation has trained nearly 15,000 participants, including teachers, school principals, and district administrators. Education First’s activities expanded to cultivate healthy competition within Egypt’s education community. For students, the foundation organized the “We Are Egypt” scholarship program for top achievers in the preparatory certificate from experimental schools, which ran for five years and targeted the top three or five students in each school. The foundation also launched the “Ibhar Masr” (Inspire Egypt) program, sponsored by Crédit Agricole Egypt Foundation for Development, to identify and nurture talented students aged 14–18 in science, arts, mathematics, and information technology. This initiative contributed to establishing the first digital platform in Egypt dedicated to talent identification. Additionally, in cooperation with Crédit Agricole Egypt Foundation and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Education First established the Scientific and Community Innovation Competition in science and technology for school and university students. At the school level, the foundation organized the “Egypt’s Schools” competition to select the best experimental school in each governorate, using the Education First evaluation rubric and under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, with a trained team of official language school administrators and deputies from across the country.
At the teacher level, the foundation organized the “Egypt’s Teacher” competition to select three outstanding teachers in each governorate, based on criteria developed by the foundation in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education. Education First’s collaboration with the El Sewedy Technical Academy in Deyerb Negm, Sharqia Governorate, was a unique and pioneering experience—its only venture in the field of technical education in Egypt. This initiative stemmed from the foundation’s belief in the importance of technical education and its conviction that it is the driving force of development in Egypt. As Education First continually seeks to foster cultural engagement within the educational community, it established the first educational and cultural forum in Egypt. The Education First Salon aims to discuss educational issues constructively and positively through experts and stakeholders, with the goal of presenting innovative ideas that support the development of education in Egypt and the Arab world.
Website: https://balanced.com.eg/ - https://educationfirst.org.eg/
Contact: n.michel@balanced.com.eg
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