FOCUS: Egypt Advances Education Reform Inspired by Japanese Model

Cairo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Egyptian government is pursuing education reform through special activities outside the regular curriculum, such as class meetings, rotating student duties and classroom cleaning by students–practices that are routine in Japanese schools. Building on experience gained over the decade since it concluded an education partnership with Japan in 2016, Egypt is now seeking to drive broader social change through Japanese-style education. “Tokkatsu” as Core Initiative “Tokkatsu,” or special activities, is grounded in the idea that a school functions as a small society. Such activities are designed to foster students’ independence, social skills, and sense of public responsibility, by having them work together to address issues on their own. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was reportedly impressed by the sight of children preparing school lunches at an elementary school he visited during his 2016 trip to Japan. Since then, the adoption of Tokkatsu in Egypt has made progress. Education in Egypt has traditionally been characterized as cramming-based, with teachers delivering one-way lectures in overcrowded classrooms. The system has often been criticized for failing to ensure that students acquire basic academic competencies or develop practical social skills. In 2016, the Egyptian government launched Vision 2030, a comprehensive social transformation plan aimed at enhancing international competitiveness and improving citizens’ quality of life. As part of the education reforms that form a core part of this plan, Tokkatsu is effectively designated a central initiative. Japan has dispatched instructors and extended loans through the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Model institutions known as “Egypt-Japan Schools,” where Tokkatsu is fully implemented and each student is provided with an individual desk and chair in line with Japanese standards, have been established at 69 locations across Egypt. The Egyptian government plans to increase this number to about 500 over the next five years. A streamlined version of Tokkatsu, known as “Mini Tokkatsu” and centered on key practices such as class meetings and day-duty rotations, has been incorporated into the primary education curriculum and is scheduled to be rolled out in general public schools nationwide. During a meeting held in January, Egyptian Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif asked Japanese education minister Yohei Matsumoto, who was visiting Egypt at the time, to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as teacher training. Matsumoto later told reporters that the “export” of Japanese-style education would help develop human resources who can serve as a bridge between the two countries. He also expressed his intention to continue providing support, saying that Japan would “advance win-win initiatives.” Success Hinges on Adults El Nasr Primary, a regular public school serving children from middle-class families, stands in the residential district of Agouza in Giza, just across the Nile from central Cairo. The principal, Ali Al-Sanousi, describes Tokkatsu as embodying “a new spirit filled with cooperation” and “a strong desire to discover and highlight individual talents.” The school has implemented Mini Tokkatsu since 2019. According to one instructor, the program has helped students gain confidence, and even children who previously had behavioral problems are now actively participating in activities with their classmates. Still, these positive results have been accompanied by significant challenges. In Egypt, cleaning is considered work for the lower classes, and some parents have objected that their children are being made to do janitorial tasks. At one point, officials from the Ministry of Education intervened and ordered the cleaning activities to stop. Moreover, because Egyptian society places such strong emphasis on formal educational credentials, initiatives that are not directly tied to entrance examinations are often dismissed or taken lightly. For Tokkatsu to succeed in Egypt, the adults around the children, including teachers and parents, must understand its value and move beyond conventional ways of thinking. Al-Sanousi noted that the local adoption of Tokkatsu is far from simple, explaining that some public schools “do not apply the system as effectively” as his school does. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]