Women’s Education and the Egyptian Economy
Low-quality education spans the rural regions and urban centers of present-day Egypt, affecting millions of impoverished people. The low levels of quality education in Egypt is related to the high levels of unemployment and poverty, as well as a diminishing economy. Although education is substandard throughout the country, many areas are striving to foster interest in education, other areas are negligent to acknowledge its importance. Attaining a quality education in order to maintain a high paying and well-respected job as a woman in Egypt is difficult, especially with the social and economic barriers that must be confronted; this is reflected through the rates of illiteracy and unemployment among Egyptian females. The nation’s negligence towards the education system has proven to perpetuate patterns of poverty, oppression and ignorance, which inhibits economic growth and ultimately harms the overall economy. To ameliorate these issues that are affecting millions in Egypt, the Egyptian Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance will join efforts with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in order to develop a program which improves the quality of primary and secondary education for all throughout the nation, provides incentives for women to pursue higher education, as well as provide adequate training for women to enter the labor market.