The Egyptian Union for Educational Policies and Research works to better national education plans in Egypt, so that they are more gender-sensitive, inclusive of marginalised groups, and emergency-ready. This includes needs-based interventions for vulnerable groups, especially girls, refugees, and persons with special needs. The work is targeting changes in the National Education Plan created by the Egyptian Ministry of Education. Further, it will enhance the role of national civil society in following up, monitoring, and evaluating the implementation of the education plans.

The Covid-19 pandemic badly affected the Egyptian education system, and many students had to endure school closures and learning losses, a need to redefine the term ‘emergency education’ began. It had previously only covered crises such as war, conflict and forced displacement. But as emergency education measures and strategies are indispensable, the term was amended to cover a more accurate definition of crises. However, there are still substantial gaps in the policies and strategies to manage the educational process in an emergency and to address its various impacts, especially its growing intersection with vulnerable groups, and their access to safe, inclusive, and sustainable education.

Therefore, this project will work to enhance policy dialogues and better the national education plans, to ensure that education in emergencies is integrated into Egypt’s national education policies and is responsive to the needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups. The project is building on the efforts made by the Union to promote more gender-sensitive education policies, during the previous project phase implemented between April 2022 – December 2023.

Specifically, the project will work to achieve the following objectives:

• Enhance the participation of the Egyptian UNION in the process of advocacy, planning and follow-up to ensure the education in emergencies component is integrated into national education policies and are responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups (Girls - refugees - people with special needs)
• To build the capacity   of leaders and decision-makers in the Egyptian Ministry of Education to adopt approaches that are responsive to education in emergency cases and the needs of vulnerable groups - by the end of 2026.
• Ensure the national educational policy is more responsive and sensitive to the needs of vulnerable groups by the end of 2026. 
• Deepen knowledge of specialized quality programs for the benefit of vulnerable groups within the plans, programs and budgets of all stakeholders concerned with the right to education (civil society - parliamentarians - donors - schools and educational centres)

Altogether, the activities of the project will contribute to supplying comprehensive educational services based on the right to education as one of the most important human and citizen's rights. It will thus promote quality, inclusive, and fair education for everyone without discrimination based on gender, religion, social economical background, or other factors.
By working on the projects independence and develop working mechanisms to sustain and employ funds, and influence educational, research, and academic production, the longevity of the project will be ensured.

The Egyptian Union for Educational Policies and Research has a broad range, both geographically and in terms of members, in addition to good working relations to the Egyptian Ministry of Education and other legal entities. Currently it comprises a total of 30 member organisations, covering 12 governorates of the country.

A previous phase of the project was carried out between April 2022 – December 2023. The current project is part of the EOL extension phase of 2024-2026. Read more about the previous phase of the project here.