Egypt’s Minister of Education, Tarek Shawky, has received eight-year old Muhammad Wael, a pupil enrolled in a public primary school in
Giza. The visit came in appreciation of Wael’s inventions which he
realised through disbanding his toys, making use of the parts and reassembling them to create useful inventions, such as a car adapted to the chaotic traffic conditions in Egyptian cities, a bomb detector, and a robot to help the disabled.
The meeting with the Minister had not been planned; Wael had originally had a meeting scheduled with the Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Khairy who wished to encourage the boy and show him his inventions had caught the attention of the Education Ministry. While with Mr Khairy, Wael expressed a wish to meet the Minister of Education and to
attend the upcoming National Youth Conference (NYC) and meet the President. The National Youth Conference is a high profile event held twice a year in which the youth gather to discuss serious problems on the national level, and to meet the President for ample time and extended discussions; the last NYC was the sixth and was held on 28 – 29 July.
Mr Khairy informed Dr Shawky of Wael’s wish, and the Minister agreed to see him directly. He received him graciously and joyfully, listened to him and asked a lot of questions about him and his thoughts and inventions. The young inventor said he enjoyed reading in general, but especially non-fiction scientific books and books on space.
Dr Sahwky instructed that arrangements should be made for Wael to attend the next NYC, and Mr Khairy says he is already working on that. He says the Ministry is looking into means to help Wael and his family
through exempting him of school fees and helping him enhance his talent.
Watani International
20 August 2018