Egypt and Japan inked on May 30 an EGP 7.5 mn agreement to back the Egypt-Japan School (EJS), bringing the size of cooperation between both countries in the field of education to USD 285 mn (nearly EGP 4.761 bn), Invest-Gate reports.

The deal was signed between Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr, Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawki, and Japanese Ambassador Masaki Noke, according to a recent ministerial statement.

The project, which aims to create 100 such schools, was earlier announced by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during his visit to Japan in 2016. It strives to introduce Japanese-based education in Egypt, which in return improves the quality of education and builds the capacities of the country’s youth.

Three years ago, the project began with 12 pilot schools, but 35 schools were inaugurated in 21 out of 27 governorates in the academic year 2018/19. In the forthcoming academic year, five others will be inaugurated in Kafr El-Sheikh, Dakahlia, Damietta, Assiut, and Aswan.

On another note, an agreement was previously signed to build Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), with costs valued at USD 17 mn, which is poised to play a key role in strengthening bilateral cooperation between both countries in the field of education.