This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data

Overview

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world. The Egyptian economy is one of the largest in the Middle East and North Africa and has traditionally been an attractive market for U.S. companies. Thanks to its unique mix of demographics and commercial links to the broader world, Egypt’s strategic location offers companies a platform for their commercial activities throughout the Middle East. 

The workforce in Egypt is about 28.9 million, according to 2016 estimates. They are distributed in the service sector (53 percent), agriculture sector (29 percent), and the industrial sector (18 percent). 

The education sector in Egypt has around 52 million students currently enrolled in the basic education system (which includes pre-school, elementary, and high school), and approximately 2.6 million students enrolled in higher education institutions including public universities, private, and higher institutions. 
Fifty percent of the population is under the age of 25. The current population of school-age children is approximately 11.5 million, and the gross enrollment rate is around 97 percent. These students are taught in about 40,000 school buildings of 11–12 classrooms each, consisting of 355,000 classrooms nationwide. The average class size is 40 pupils. There is still a significant gap in infrastructure and a real need for at least 5,000 new schools (or no fewer than 60,000 classrooms). 

University students are served by 73 universities (29 state funded and 44 private). The government investment in education will be increased from 3.6 to 3.8 percent of the GDP in the 2016–17 approved budget. The government priority is to upgrade facilities and equipment in order to master new technologies. The plan also links education to the job market by upgrading training and re-training. There are several vocational training centers affiliated with various ministries and government entities with a total training capacity of over 250,000 trainees per year.

According to the Institute of International Education (IIE) the number of Egyptians going to the United States to study has increased 7.9 percent from 2015/2016 to 2016/2017, totaling 3,715 students. 

Leading Sub-Sectors

English language programs for professional development have a high market potential in Egypt as English is taught until high school and many Egyptians have the basic knowledge yet look for further development. 

There has been an increase in international schools in Egypt, reaching 185 schools, yet the demand continues to grow. Egyptian students are also interested in going abroad to take their full undergraduate coursework as they believe that American education is of the highest quality. Due to the relatively low GDP per capita and the fact that public universities are relatively inexpensive, the majority of Egyptian students require scholarships to study abroad. There is, however, high demand by the upper and upper middle class (around 5 percent of the population) who can afford to enroll in American universities. Students from such socioeconomic backgrounds already have a strong foundation in English and, therefore, are interested in undergraduate and graduate degrees.  

Opportunities

The concentration of opportunities is centered on Cairo and Alexandria, home to most of the international institutions. The best market entry strategy would be to partner with a local education provider that has market insight and strong networking capabilities. Doing business in Egypt is a matter of establishing a relationship; agreements cannot be completed after only a single contact. 

Web Resources

Contact

Dina Bissada
Commercial Assistant
dina.bissada@trade.gov
+20 (2) 2797-2340
 




 

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