Education Ministry Tightens Rules for International Schools

Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif has introduced a series of new controls for international schools, including restrictions on school celebrations, an end to home schooling operations and tighter rules governing transfers, fees and accreditation.

The minister said celebrations of holidays and occasions deemed incompatible with Egyptian culture will no longer be permitted within international schools.

He also said home schooling operations have been ended, with any entity found running such a school to be referred to the public prosecution for violating regulations. Inspection committees have been formed to review international schools and verify that enrolment does not exceed each school’s licensed capacity.

A circular distributed to educational directorates nationwide also limits transfers into secondary education at schools offering special-nature international curricula to students entering first secondary grade only.

The same circular ordered the closure of channels used to collect fees in dollars and transfer those funds abroad, as part of efforts to standardise procedures across schools offering international curricula.

Abdel Latif said parents of students pursuing the American diploma had previously paid around USD 10 million in dollar-denominated accreditation fees. Under the new system, parents will no longer be required to pay separate accreditation charges, with the Ministry of Education now responsible for accreditation.

The minister said ministry accreditation will be sufficient for admission to Egyptian universities, eliminating the need for additional foreign-currency payments for certificate recognition.