In a country where public school classrooms are often overcrowded and dominated by rote memorization, Egypt has been experimenting with a new model of education, inspired by a country far beyond the North African region. Over the past decade, under a bilateral pact with Japan, the Egyptian government has launched a network of “Egyptian-Japanese schools” aimed at fostering academic prowess and emotional resilience, teamwork, and daily discipline — hallmarks of Tokyo’s renowned education system. As of early 2025, these institutions number 55 across the country, enrolling some 16,000 students, mostly from middle-class families seeking an affordable upgrade from overcrowded public options. The initiative traces its roots to a 2016 state visit by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to Japan, where he and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled the Egypt-Japan Education Partnership. This collaboration sought to infuse Egypt’s beleaguered school system, criticized for its emphasis on test-cramming over critical thinking, with elements of Japan’s “whole child” philosophy. Folded into the Education Ministry’s sweeping “Education 2.0” reform, launched in 2018 and slated for full rollout by 2030, the program aligns with the nation’s Egypt Vision 2030 blueprint for socioeconomic renewal. By blending…
