Developing Arabic Language Skills in Egypt
Assessing the Implementation and Impact of the National Programme for Developing Arabic Language Skills (NPDA)
- English
- Arabic
Highlights
Foundational literacy is a pivotal step in every child’s development, marking the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”
In Egypt, nearly six in 10 children are unable to read or write a simple story by age 10, limiting their ability to progress in education and fully participate in society and the economy. To address this, the Ministry of Education and Technical Education (MoETE), in partnership with the National Center for Examinations and Educational Evaluation (NCEEE) and UNICEF, launched the National Programme for Developing Arabic Language Skills (NPDA) in February 2025.
Over 12 weeks, the programme reached more than 180,000 students in grades three to six across 980 schools in 10 governorates, with eligibility based on a baseline reading assessment. NPDA combined structured literacy instruction, teacher training, and dedicated teaching and learning materials. Research embedded in the programme showed significant improvements in children’s literacy outcomes, with the largest gains among the lowest-performing students and girls.
Strong fidelity in classroom implementation and growing teacher confidence highlight the programme’s success and potential for scale.
Findings and recommendations from this research will inform the next phase of NPDA, set to launch in October 2025.
