Egypt’s Ministry of Education, UNICEF and Akelius Join Forces to Expand Inclusive Learning Opportunities for All Children

CAIRO, 23 October 2025 — UNICEF is proud to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education (MoETE) and the Akelius Foundation in launching a two-year initiative to strengthen literacy and digital learning opportunities in Egypt for marginalized children in vulnerable situations.

With support from various implementing partners, the programme will introduce innovative blended learning approaches and equip community and public schools with digital tools to improve learning outcomes.

At its core is the Akelius digital language application, which enables children to learn English and Arabic through interactive multimedia activities at their own pace, while supporting teachers with personalized lesson planning and real-time monitoring of students’ progress.

“Every child deserves the chance to learn; no matter who they are, where they come from, or the challenges they face. Inclusive education is not only a right, but also the foundation for children to grow, thrive, and contribute to their communities. Through this partnership, we are scaling up proven best practices from around the world – harnessing digital tools, empowering teachers, and creating classrooms that are more inclusive and engaging. This ensures that children across Egypt can access quality education and reach their full potential,” said Shiraz Chakera, Chief of Education, UNICEF Egypt.

Over the course of the initiative, 7,500 children, with a focus on girls and children with disabilities, alongside 450 educators will directly benefit, while an estimated 30,000 family members will be reached indirectly.

“For more than ten years, the Akelius Languages education has helped vulnerable children learn in around twenty countries worldwide. We are excited to bring this proven approach to Egypt in partnership with UNICEF, where introducing it to refugee and host community children across both formal and informal settings is a vital step towards ensuring every child has the chance to build strong literacy skills and a brighter future,” said Kerstin Ekström, Akelius Foundation.

Ahead of the 2025/2026 academic year, eight rounds of training were held across four governorates (Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and Sharqia), equipping 250 educators to deliver the programme effectively in classrooms. Community schools and learning spaces were also upgraded to foster more inclusive and digitally enabled environments.

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