Dh7.3m programme to support Egyptian girls’ education

Dubai: Dubai Cares, part of Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is aiming to address some of Egypt’s most pressing challenges surrounding girls’ education and help nurture a new generation of leaders through a new Dh7.3-million ($2-million) programme.

The programme, titled “Ensuring Supportive and Safe Quality Education for Girls in Egypt”, represents Dubai Cares’ first works in the country, the organisation said in a statement on Wednesday.

The three-year programme will work for inclusivity and empowerment, an enhanced school environment, development of teaching methods, as well as the revision of school curricula by providing quality education that prepares young people for the future.

In addition, the programme aims to improve the standard of education for 15,000 students, and ensure they have a safe and engaging environment to learn throughout Upper Egypt’s Assiut, Beni Suef, and Minya governorates.

A recent study, conducted by the Population Council, found that around 26 per cent of girls surveyed in the country’s frontier governorates and 23 per cent of those surveyed in rural parts of Upper Egypt had never attended school, as opposed to 10 per cent and 7 per cent of boys surveyed.

Tareq Al Gurg, chief executive officer at Dubai Cares, said: “Our objective for this new and diverse programme is to allow girl students in Egypt to recognise and realise their full potential, opening their eyes to what education makes possible, and providing the teaching and learning environment that underpins a quality education. Designed to cultivate leaders and lifelong learners, Dubai Cares aims to build a sustainable and enduring educational and societal legacy for Egypt.”

“This programme takes elements of what we know is working in addressing girls’ education and puts them together to create an integrated package aimed at improving girls’ education in Upper Egypt. Through improving school infrastructure, safety of girls in schools, gender awareness, girls’ leadership abilities, and teachers’ skills in active learning methods, we hope to empower the girls reached by this programme,” says Nada Al Hajiri, country programme officer at Dubai Cares.