Cairo: Egypt will convert 20 technical schools into international institutions following Japanese curricula and standards in nursing, elderly care, and information technology, the Ministry of Education announced.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the first-of-its-kind agreement aims to establish an integrated Japanese-style technical education model tailored to Egypt's needs and labor-market priorities. Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif signed the agreement with Hidetaka Matsuo, President of Japan's Ikuikan Education Group, during a visit to Kyoto University of Nursing.
Under the agreement, the schools, skills laboratories, and training facilities will be equipped to meet Japanese education and vocational training standards. Information technology and elderly-care programs will last three years, while nursing students will study for five years. Egyptian and Japanese experts will jointly develop specialized curricula based on the latest Japanese teaching and training standards. The programs will combine theoretical instruction with practical training to prepare graduates for the labor market.
Japanese professors and specialists will supervise education and training at the schools, help train teachers and other staff, and participate in curriculum development. 'This agreement represents a new model of Egyptian-Japanese cooperation in technical education,' Abdel-Latif said. He added that the partnership 'does not stop at transferring expertise and curricula' but seeks to establish an integrated education system based on Japanese standards.
The model will include 'developing curricula, training and qualifying teachers and staff, and improving the training environment and equipment,' he said. The initiative is part of the ministry's efforts to align technical education with labor-market requirements, introduce new professional pathways for Egyptian students, and improve their practical skills and competitiveness.
The signing ceremony was attended by Tetsuro Fukuyama, vice president of Japan's House of Councillors; Japanese parliamentarian Shohei Niimi; Ahmed Raafat, second secretary at the Egyptian Embassy in Japan; former Kyoto mayor Daisaku Kadokawa; and Kumiko Toyoda, president of the Nursing Association of Western Japan. The ministry stated that the partnership could provide a foundation for expanding Egyptian-Japanese cooperation in technical education and localizing Japanese teaching and training practices in Egypt.
The agreement marks a further expansion of the Egyptian-Japanese Education Partnership, launched in 2016 to incorporate elements of Japan's education model into Egypt's school, technical, and higher education systems. The partnership initially focused on Egyptian-Japanese Schools, which apply Japan's Tokkatsu approach to promote teamwork, discipline, responsibility, and character development alongside academic learning.
Education Minister Mohamed Abdel-Latif noted in May that more than 100 Egyptian-Japanese Schools would be operating in the 2026/2027 academic year, up from 69 before the 2025/2026 year. Egypt aims to expand the network to 500 schools by 2030. The number of Japanese experts permanently supervising the schools is also expected to rise from more than 17 to 50 before the new academic year.
The latest agreement follows another deal signed earlier in August to introduce Japanese as a second language for preparatory-stage students at 10 Egyptian-Japanese Schools beginning in 2026/2027. The Japan Foundation will help develop the curriculum and train teachers.