منتدي شركاء من اجل بيئه تعلميه امنه-2024

Dr. El Samaloty also presented the strategic plan of the Ministry of Education and its intersections with civil society perspectives, emphasizing the importance of community dialogue to reinforce the principles of partnership and accountability through the redefinition of stakeholder roles to ensure inclusive representation.

Mr. Mahmoud Mortada highlighted the importance of evaluating the cost of inaction when it comes to implementing the national education development vision. He stressed the need for clear frameworks for collaboration between the state and civil society, refocusing the education process on the learner while ensuring equal opportunities for all without discrimination.

The first session of the forum, titled “Government Efforts to Enhance a Safe School Environment in Light of the Strategic Plan”, was moderated by Ms. Wissam El Sherif. It featured Dr. Khaled El Qubaisi, Director General of Preparatory Education at the Ministry of Education, who reviewed the ministry’s efforts in developing pre-university education. He focused on programs aimed at creating a safe learning environment, notably the “Be Positive” initiative that promotes equal opportunities and positive practices in schools.

In the same session, Ms. Amira Hussein, UNICEF Representative in Egypt, spoke about the role of international organizations in supporting child protection policies in schools. She outlined the main concepts of protection, factors influencing positive change, and institutional pathways needed to strengthen child protection systems—highlighting the human element as critical to achieving lasting impact.

Mr. Sherif Gamal, Executive Director of the Women’s Issues Foundation, addressed the integration of gender perspectives in education policy-making. He emphasized that stereotypical representations in school curricula are among the most significant barriers to achieving equality and contribute to gender-based violence, especially against women. He called for curriculum reform to ensure gender sensitivity and inclusivity.

The second session of the forum, titled “Exploring Areas of Cooperation Between Civil Society and the Ministry on Gender Issues”, was moderated by Mr. Mahmoud Mortada. The session included a presentation by Dr. Hend El-Helaly, Director of the Anti-Violence and Women’s Support Unit at Ain Shams University. She emphasized the importance of establishing clear anti-violence mechanisms and identified success factors, including the engagement of decision-makers, empowerment of target groups, effective partnerships, and capacity building for service providers. Dr. El-Helaly also showcased Ain Shams University’s experience as a successful model in developing anti-violence frameworks.

Dr. Nariman Mostafa, a gender policy researcher, discussed the critical role of education on reproductive health in building safe learning environments. She presented a policy paper titled “A Safer and More Just Future”, which advocates for enabling Egyptian schools to offer effective reproductive health education programs. She highlighted the role of interactive curricula in fostering critical thinking among students.

The session concluded with remarks by Dr. Randa Halawa, Head of the Central Administration for Dropout Prevention and Community Participation at the Ministry of Education. She reiterated the importance of genuine partnerships between civil society and the ministry in implementing the national strategy. She emphasized the need for efficient resource management and investment in infrastructure as fundamental components of safe educational environments. Dr. Halawa called on civil society organizations to actively engage with the ministry in developing effective evaluation and monitoring mechanisms to ensure safer and more inclusive schools.