Partner since:
Total grant support: US$700,000
Grant eligibility:
Education sector plan
Objective: Transform the education system to ensure universal access to high quality education and training, foundational learning for all and skills for the sustainable future.
Coordinating agency: Sawiris Foundation
GPE Team lead: Esohe Joan Eigbike
Egypt has the largest pre-university education system in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with over 25 million students.
The country places high priority on education through the constitutional provision for compulsory and free basic education and government spending for pre-university education – no less than 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP).
While the education in Egypt has improved in recent years, systemic challenges include low performance – only 19% of grade 4 students demonstrate foundational reading skills and 29% for math – insufficient classroom space to accommodate the current student population, and 1.5 million out-of-school children.
Egypt aims to ensure universal access to high-quality education and training, foundational learning for all and skills for the sustainable future.
As part of Egypt’s overarching Strategic Vision 2030, the government has developed a five-year education sector plan (ESP) for reforming the education system, structured around four policy priority pillars:
Across all pillars is a focus on digital transformation as well as a strong teacher workforce. The ESP has been independently appraised and endorsed by education development partners in Egypt.
out-of-school rate for children of lower-secondary school age
of children start learning one year before entering primary school
of primary teachers have the minimum required qualifications
of government expenditure on education
(data as of January 16, 2026)
Type: System capacity
Years: 2023 - 2024
Allocation: US$200,000
Utilization: US$200,000
Grant agent: UNICEF
Type: Sector plan development
Years: 2021 - 2023
Allocation: US$500,000
Utilization: US$498,386
Grant agent: UNICEF
As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting Egyptians without borders foundation for the 2024-2026 period.