Egypt’s Ministry of Education has opened legal and administrative investigations into several international schools following the discovery of irregularities in the grading of Arabic language, social studies, and religious education examinations.
The investigation follows the release of end-of-year results in which a significant number of students in international schools either failed or received unexpectedly low marks in the three subjects. The outcomes prompted concern among parents and students, particularly given the subjects’ central role in the national curriculum.
According to ministry spokesperson Shady Zalata, speaking on MBC Masr’s El-Hekaya programme, the affected subjects are mandatory components of schooling in Egypt and are intended to strengthen students’ national identity, cultural awareness, and civic understanding. He emphasised that the ministry has not introduced new academic requirements but is instead enforcing existing regulations governing both instruction and assessment in international schools.
The ministry’s scrutiny was triggered after some schools reportedly recorded unusually high success rates—reaching up to 100 percent—in Arabic, social studies, and religious education. These anomalies prompted further inspection.
Subsequent reviews conducted by ministry-appointed committees covered 45 international schools across the country. Investigators identified violations in 12 institutions, including cases where students were awarded full marks—or scores exceeding 80 percent—even when examination answer sheets were reportedly left blank.
The findings have been referred to the Ministry of Education’s legal affairs department for further investigation, with potential disciplinary measures expected depending on the outcomes of the review.
The development comes amid a broader policy push by Egyptian authorities to strengthen oversight of international schools and ensure compliance with national regulations regarding core subjects. While international schools often follow foreign curricula, Arabic language, social studies, and religious education remain compulsory under Egyptian education law, and must be properly taught and assessed.
The current probe highlights the growing regulatory attention placed on balancing international education models with national curriculum requirements, particularly in systems where dual curricula operate side by side. As inspections continue, further actions may be taken against schools found to be in breach of assessment standards.
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