Primary education in Egypt starts at age 6 and consists of six years of schooling.

Secondary
education currently involves six years of schooling of which the first three years—the
preparatory level—are considered basic education and are compulsory. The final three years of
secondary education is not compulsory (Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, 2014).

Egypt has fully committed itself to the education MDG, pledging not just ‘education for all’, but
‘excellence for all’ (UNECO,2004). Moreover, several official reports noticed an increased
enrolment, in particular among the most disadvantaged. For example, according to a recent
survey (Demographic and Health Survey, 2014), there has been an improvement in the female
educational attainment, making the educational gap between males and females almost
disappearing between younger cohorts. Urban residents have better chances of attending school
and remaining for a longer period, compared to rural residents. For example, among rural males,
the number of years of schooling is 6.2, much greater than among rural females (4.6 years).
There is a smaller difference in urban areas, where the number of years at school is 9.2 years for
men and 8.2 years for women. The difference is even greater in Upper Egypt, with 82 % of men
who have ever attended school, compared to 66 % of women (Demographic and Health Survey,
2014).

Nevertheless, children’s exclusion from education is still a significant problem in the MENA
region. According to the 2012 UIS report, around 7.2 million children were out of school, and
the problem becomes more evident at the secondary level. Children’s exclusion from school is
connected to many reasons, such as household wealth, gender and locations, and it is more
spread in the poorest households in rural areas, where poor girls are the most disadvantaged
(UNICEF, MENA report, 2015). Being excluded from school can be connected to the
characteristics of each child, the households’ income and decisions about school attendance, and
also to the role played by the local community and authorities.

The household decisions may be influenced not only by cultural norms and practices, but also,
for example, by a death in the household, a migration to a different area, a loss of job, or the need
to help with domestic chores, and the caring for other household members.
Key factors that emerge in the lack of education for all children and youth are:

· Low levels of income, where early school leaving is directly associated with the
cost of education. The cost of education might include transportation, food,
books, uniforms, private tuition charges and examination fees.

· Child labour and poverty, where child labourers have lower demand for
education, or where children are pushed out of school because the supply of
education is not flexible.

· Gender reasons, such as early marriage, household responsibilities, premature

pregnancy and so on.

· Household perception about the benefits of enrolling children to school, which are
directly linked to the loss of child wages and unpaid child work, as well as to the
family perceptions of the usefulness of education for the future employment.

· Underfunded public school system, with low quality education, deteriorating

facilities, overcrowded classrooms, a rigid syllabus, and unmotivated teachers,
who fail to perform their duties because of their poor working conditions.
(UNICEF, MENA report, 2015).

Quality of education in Egypt and access to the labour market