English Education Policy at the Pre-university Stages in Egypt: Past, Present and Future Directions

Abstract

English has been taught in Egyptian schools since the 1860s. For about a hundred and fifty years, the status of English in Egyptian schools has changed from an optional subject to a compulsory one. This chapter highlights the English education policy at the pre-university stages in Egypt. The chapter starts with providing an overview of the historical place of English education in Egyptian schools. It also reviews the policy reforms of English education in Egypt in the last few decades, including establishing schools with intensive English instruction, introducing English education to primary graders, adopting new policies in English language teacher recruitment and education, and curricular reforms. The factors influencing these policy reforms are discussed. The chapter ends with offering some future perspectives of English education policy in Egypt.