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A look at Egypt’s education misconceptions

May 27, 2014
A still from the short film: What do you dream of?

By Islam El-Kenawy, Aswat Masriya From the day you are born, you are expected to grow up to be a holder of a bachelor’s degree of some sorts. They teach you that anything different is less; there isn’t even an option of not going to a university to attain your mighty academic degree. That is the light at the beginning of your life as an average Egyptian. You could almost hear your parents say, “My son is growing up to be a great doctor/engineer!” before you can understand what any of those words mean. In our community, be it recently or years ago, the idea of deciding not to go to college is considered taboo; an insult to yourself and your family. Even those who spend their entire childhood and teenage years playing a sport, putting all their life into it, are often forced -be it indirectly or not – to put it on “hold” and go to college, where their sports career will most likely meet its demise for good. This is not the only elitist aspect of our middle class – and higher – community that we face with…


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