President Sisi to inaugurate Arab Forum for Special Schools in Sharm El-Shiekh

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is set to open on Monday the first Arab Forum for Special Schools held in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Shiekh, said Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

The forum, which will conclude 4 October, will be attended by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan, Minister of Education Tarek Shawki said on Saturday, while hailing the presence of El-Sisi, highlighting the president's attention to people with special needs.

The minister also noted during a press conference on Saturday that a total of EGP 100 billion is required to overcome overcrowded classroom situations in Egyptian public schools.

Overcrowded classrooms in Egypt have been a pressing challenge for the country's educational system in recent years, with classes exceeding 100 students in some schools.

The Ministry of Education said in 2017 that international education competitiveness reports ranked Egypt in 134 out of the 139 countries on the quality index of primary education, and 28 out of 139 countries in the total enrollment of students in primary education.