The Arab House organizes a seminar in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity in the Arab Republic of Egypt titled: “Financing Education in Light of National and Regional Transformations”
The Arab House for Adult Learning and Development (AHAED), in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity – Egypt, held a seminar on “Financing Education in Light of National and Regional Transformations.”
This took place in light of the Marrakech Framework for Action and the Transforming Education Summit, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Social Solidarity – Grand Theater – Egypt.
The seminar began with a welcome address by Mr. Omar Hamza from the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the event organizers.
- This was followed by Dr. Samir El-Feki, Head of the Knowledge and Research Unit at the Ministry, who welcomed the attendees and provided an overview of the Ministry’s activities in adult learning and education, as well as its roles in this field.
- Ms. Elsy Wakil, Secretary-General of the Arab House for Adult Education and Development, then spoke, expressing appreciation for the partnership between the Arab House and the Ministry in developing adult learning and education amid national, regional, and international changes. She highlighted AHD’s renewal-oriented vision and addressed the type of funding needed and the future vision sought. She noted that the sharp transformations in Arab countries—especially in conflict and unstable regions—threaten to deepen knowledge, digital, and learning gaps. She emphasized that adult education is the first line of defense for human dignity and resilience. She also described the Arab House as a regional platform combining advocacy, capacity building, and knowledge production to promote lifelong learning, and discussed the Marrakech Framework and the importance of education financing.
- This was followed by Counselor Mohamed Attia, Head of the Adult Education Authority in Egypt, who discussed the shift in the concept of literacy—from basic reading and writing to broader civilizational, cultural, and digital literacy. He stressed that education financing is one of the most impactful issues for the future of nations, not merely as a budget item but as a strategic investment in people.
- Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Faraj Al-Ajmi, Director of the Department of Education, Culture, and Scientific Research at the League of Arab States, spoke about the importance of adult learning in preparing Arab citizens for quality of life. He highlighted global economic, political, and social transformations, labor market changes, and regional crises as factors placing pressure on education financing and raising questions about its sustainability, quality, and efficiency. He also emphasized the importance of partnerships between governments and civil society.
- Major General Ahmed Gomaa, representing the Minister of Social Solidarity, discussed the Ministry’s developmental legislation aimed at human development. He explained that the Ministry is responsible for providing a comprehensive social safety net to ensure family and societal stability, protect vulnerable groups, develop childcare institutions, and support programs like Takaful and Karama, including education conditionality and financial support for underprivileged students.
After the opening session, two trainers presented success stories on how they worked with adult learners. Mr. Omar Hamza also commented on some challenges facing adult education programs.
Three sessions were then held covering:
- International and regional changes and their impact on training – Dr. Zahi Azar, Secretary-General of the Arab Network for Popular Education and President of the Arab Campaign for Education.
- Presentation of the “Taqareb” platform by Affinity Human Services – Eng. Mansour Abdullah, Chairman of Affinity for IT and Human Services.
- Strategic plan for administrative and institutional development of the Adult Education Authority – Dr. Medhat Helal, Advisor to the Minister of Education.
- Emergencies, donor conditionality, and their impact on funding and education quality in the Arab world – Prof. Mehni Ghanaim, Professor of Education Foundations, Mansoura University.
- Financing within the Marrakech Framework and the Transforming Education Summit – Ms. Elsy Wakil.
The sessions concluded with recommendations presented by Mr. El-Sayed Massaad, an education expert at the Arab House.
The seminar was attended by a group of experts in adult education, representatives from civil society in Egypt (including Caritas, Women and Society Association, the Egyptian Union for Educational Policies and Research), Cairo University, Mansoura University, and various stakeholders and interested parties.
text by Elsy Wakil, ICAE Executive Committee Member
