The Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) revealed on Sunday that the total number of students enrolled in higher education increased by 2.1% to reach 3.031 million students during the 2016/2017 academic year, up from 2.969 million students in 2015/2016. According to CAPMAS' annual bulletin of enrolled students and faculty staff members in higher education for the 2016/2017 academic year, 2.274 million students are enrolled in public universities and Al-Azhar, representing 75% of total students enrolled in higher education during the 2016/2017 academic year compared to 2.230 million students in 2015/2016, an increase of 2%. The bulletin stated that 154,800 students enrolled in private universities, representing 5.1% of total higher education students in 2016/2017, up from 138,100 students in 2015/2016, an increase of 12.1%. Concerning private higher institutes, the CAPMAS revealed that the number of students enrolled at higher private institutes represented 13.6% of total higher education enrollees in 2016/2017, as there are 410,800 students enrolled, compared to 407,800 in 2015/2016, an increase of 0.7%. "31,003 students enrolled in academies, representing 1% of total higher education students in 2016/2017, down from 31,010 students in 2015/2016, a decrease of 0.02%," the CAPMAS stated. Meanwhile, it revealed that there are 123,300 students enrolled in public and private above-intermediate technical institutes, representing 4.1% of the total higher education enrollees in 2016/2017, compared to116,900 in 2015/2016, an increase of 5.5%. "36,600 Students enrolled in various private institutes, representing 1.2% of total higher education students in 2016/2017, compared to 45,300 students in 2015/2016, a decrease of 19.2%," the CAPMAS said. Egypt is currently witnessing a comprehensive plan to modernize its education system. In April, Education Minister Tarek Shawki announced that thanaweya amma (secondary school) examinations, which qualify students for higher education, will be digital and results will be answered, marked, and announced electronically. The students will take 12 exams over three years and the examinations with the highest six scores will be taken into account.
