Japanese Early Childhood Education Model Set for Expansion in Egypt

Egypt is set to expand an adapted Japanese early childhood education model nationwide while exploring cooperation with Japan on elderly care programmes, according to statements by Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsy during meetings in Cairo with a delegation from Japan’s House of Councillors.

Morsy described Japan’s Early Childhood Quality Improvement Project, implemented in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as a practical example of knowledge exchange that has shaped Egypt’s approach to early childhood development.

She said the model, which prioritises learning through play and early investment in children, has informed national thinking on how to strengthen long-term human development outcomes.

The minister said Egypt plans to scale the adapted curriculum from pilot nurseries into a broader national framework. She stressed that the focus is not on increasing the number of nurseries indiscriminately, but on expanding strategically and strengthening capacity.

The model is already being applied in several government-run nurseries in the New Capital, including those affiliated with the ministries of social solidarity and justice. Additional nurseries are set to open at the ministries of irrigation and health. According to Morsy, the nurseries are implementing key components of the adapted Japanese curriculum, such as activity-based learning and structured training for facilitators.

A quality framework covering equipment, activity books, facilitator training, and monitoring tools is currently being piloted in nine governorates. On future cooperation, Morsy said Egypt is interested in studying Japan’s elderly care programmes, noting that the executive regulations for Egypt’s Elderly Rights Care Law have recently been finalised.

She also pointed to ongoing national efforts to address violence against women through the National Council for Women, women’s guidance centres, and the “Mawadda” premarital counselling programme.