The US, working in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Education, answered President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s recent call for a greater focus on science and technology education at a graduation ceremony on Sunday for students from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) high schools in Maadi and 6th October City, according to a statement by the US Embassy in Cairo on Monday.

These students are the third cohort to graduate from Egypt’s STEM high schools, launched by the Ministry of Education in 2012 with support from the United States through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). 

The schools provide project-based education focused around enhancing students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and scientific research to help meet the needs of a modern economy. 

With President Sisi’s support, the Egyptian government is scaling up this model nationwide; to date it has been replicated in nine additional governorates with USAID support.

According to US Embassy Cairo Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Goldberger, “The American people are committed to investing in Egypt’s future through science and technology education. Our partnership with the Ministry of Education on STEM education in Egypt reflects our long-standing commitment to Egypt and the Egyptian people.”

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Minister of Education Tarek Shawki, who also handed out certificates to students. 

USAID Mission Director Sherry F. Carlin reflected on what she has witnessed by visiting the schools in the program. “At STEM schools I’ve visited throughout Egypt, students learn by thinking out of the box, by conducting experiments, and by working in teams,” said Carlin. “We applaud the innovative young scientists graduating today for using STEM to address development challenges in their communities.”

STEM schools are part of the $30 billion that the American people have invested in Egypt through USAID since 1978.