Editor in Chief
Youssef Sidhom
Watani
عربى English French
  • News
    • Accidents
    • Crime
    • Diplomatic briefcase
    • NewsLine
    • Outside Cairo
    • Special Occasions
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • International media
    • Reader`s Corner
    • Opinion
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • International Politics
    • Islamisation Politics
    • National Affairs
    • Parliament
    • Politics
    • Protests
    • Rights
    • Terrorism
  • Culture
    • Antiquity
    • Art
    • Books
    • Culture
    • Drama
    • Egyptology
    • Festivals
    • Films
    • Heritage
    • Islamisation Culture
    • Media
    • Museums
    • Music
    • TV
  • Coptic
    • Church Affairs
    • Coptic Affairs
    • Coptic Culture
    • Copts in the Media
    • Coptology
    • Copts Abroad
    • Religious
      • P. Shenouda: Bible Study
    • Sectarian
    • Inter-religious
    • Holy Family
  • Features
    • Counselling Corner
    • features
    • Economy
      • Business
    • Education
    • Social Issues
      • Behaviour
      • Mothers Day
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Humour
    • In memorial
    • Interviews
    • Nile
    • Profile
    • Special needs
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Tourism
    • Wars
    • Women
    • Youth
  • Watani Special Features
    • Egypt – Arab Spring
      • 25 January Revolution
      • 25 Jan revolution, one year on
      • Egypt post-30 June
    • Watani Milestones
      • 10 years Watani International
      • Watani Jubilee
    • Pope Shenouda
    • Pope Tawadros
    • Watani Forum
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Accidents
    • Crime
    • Diplomatic briefcase
    • NewsLine
    • Outside Cairo
    • Special Occasions
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • International media
    • Reader`s Corner
    • Opinion
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • International Politics
    • Islamisation Politics
    • National Affairs
    • Parliament
    • Politics
    • Protests
    • Rights
    • Terrorism
  • Culture
    • Antiquity
    • Art
    • Books
    • Culture
    • Drama
    • Egyptology
    • Festivals
    • Films
    • Heritage
    • Islamisation Culture
    • Media
    • Museums
    • Music
    • TV
  • Coptic
    • Church Affairs
    • Coptic Affairs
    • Coptic Culture
    • Copts in the Media
    • Coptology
    • Copts Abroad
    • Religious
      • P. Shenouda: Bible Study
    • Sectarian
    • Inter-religious
    • Holy Family
  • Features
    • Counselling Corner
    • features
    • Economy
      • Business
    • Education
    • Social Issues
      • Behaviour
      • Mothers Day
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Humour
    • In memorial
    • Interviews
    • Nile
    • Profile
    • Special needs
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Tourism
    • Wars
    • Women
    • Youth
  • Watani Special Features
    • Egypt – Arab Spring
      • 25 January Revolution
      • 25 Jan revolution, one year on
      • Egypt post-30 June
    • Watani Milestones
      • 10 years Watani International
      • Watani Jubilee
    • Pope Shenouda
    • Pope Tawadros
    • Watani Forum
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Watani
ع Fr

Would Egypt give Tarek Shawki up to UNESCO? 

Problems on hold

25 December, 2020 - (10:30 AM)
0 0

Youssef Sidhom

Youssef Sidhom
35
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

It is self-evident that the nomination of an Egyptian to a leading position in a prominent international institution is for Egypt a source of pride like no other, only outdone by the nominee winning appointment to that post and assuming responsibility. The nomination in itself is a great honour to the nominee since it recognises his or her capability, and to Egypt too whose children make their way to and qualifying for the international arena. Countless Egyptians have over the years filled prominent positions at the head of international institutions; I will not list here any of their names or the posts they assumed lest I forget any. Sufficient to say that they have all been of incalculable worth and stature, and have been for Egypt sources of inestimable pride.

For the first time, however, I feel wary of the possibility of nominating an Egyptian figure to an international position. For the first time I ask myself: is Egypt prepared, at this point in time, to give up the effort, intellect, vision and leadership of this figure, let alone the national responsibility he currently shoulders? Some may argue that the very fundamentals of leadership, development and reform imply that the leader should set in place a comprehensive system of standards and plans, high-calibre staff and relevant experts to ensure the development and reform plans are adequately executed. But let me point out that the melee I am speaking of is of utmost importance, and cannot afford any turbulence or setback in case the person behind the vision of its development shifts his gaze before its aspired fruit blossoms.

The daily State-owned al-Ahram on 15 December 2020 printed a column by Anwar Abdel-Latif under the title “Dr Tarek Shawki to head UNESCO”. True, the article does not allude to any official declaration in that regard, yet it offers a serious and convincing analysis of the attributes that qualify Egypt’s Education Minister Tarek Shawki to run for the topmost position in UNESCO in succession to its current director the French Audrey Azoulay whose term ends in a few months. I will mention here the most prominent features and attributes of Dr Shawki, as highlighted by Mr Abdel-Latif in al-Ahram.

Mr Abdel-Latif wrote that Dr Shawki possesses impressive scientific credentials; he holds a doctoral degree from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was Professor of theoretical and applied Mechanics at Illinois University for more than 10 years. Dr Shawki also has hands on experience in the field of education, culture and science; he oversaw and carried out several projects around the world in the field of applying communication and information technology to education, science and culture. In addition, he was Director of UNESCO’s Regional Bureau for Science at Arab States in 1999 – 2012.

Mr Abdel-Latif’s main point, however, is that Dr Shawki’s institutional expertise stems in the major part from his work as Minister of Education and Technical Education in Egypt. In this capacity, he succeeded “to a great extent” in purging school curricula of content that promoted extremism. He was able to bend the Ministry’s notorious bureaucracy to end the stagnant rigidity of the education sector in Egypt, which had for decades depended on rote learning, private lessons and readymade exams. According to Mr Abdel-Latif, this man, Dr Shawki, was able to remove these chains of backwardness that held back our education system, and equip it with the necessary tools to keep pace with modern times.

I absolutely second Mr Abdel-Latif’s take on Dr Shawki’s expertise, achievements and attributes that qualify him to run for UNESCO’s topmost position, bringing great honour to Egypt. But I stop at his words that Dr Shawki contributed to a great extent to pulling Egypt’s education system out of the doldrums. I would rather say that Dr Shawki’s visionary outlook not only helped develop the education sector, but has worked a real, promising revolution of awakening the mind of the Egyptian pupil and student in all stages of education. Dr Shawki has succeeded in connecting education to modern day technology with the aim of producing generations upon generations eager to learn, think critically, research and innovate. This is why I am worried that Egypt would give up Dr Tarek Shawki, even if for the great honour of an international position. This man has great resilience and persistence to see his plan through and his vision materialise. Egypt is not yet done with him, she still direly needs his efforts.

Watani International

25 December 2020

Comments

comments

Tags: Education reform EgyptMinister of Education EgyptProblems on holdTarek ShawkiTarek Shawki UNESCOUNESCOWataniYoussef Sidhom

Related Posts

Youssef Sidhom
Editorial

Tuk tuk and minivan: Issues carried into 2021

January 22, 2021
Youssef Sidhom
Editorial

Rental law for non-residential housing: More luggage carried into 2021

January 15, 2021
Youssef Sidhom
Editorial

Luggage we carry into 2021

January 8, 2021
Youssef Sidhom
Editorial

A New Year prayer

January 1, 2021
Youssef Sidhom
Editorial

Watani turns 62

December 20, 2020
Youssef Sidhom
Editorial

Coronavirus is here to stay

December 11, 2020

Discussion about this post

Editorial

Tuk tuk and minivan: Issues carried into 2021

More

MOST READ

Land of sad oranges
Books

Land of sad oranges

December 15, 2011
0

WATANI InternationalMay 2009 / 12 July 2009  The Palestinian town of Jaffa is famous for its delicious oranges. The peel is...

Read more
Epiphany: Down memory lane

Epiphany: Down memory lane

January 19, 2020
Happy Epiphany

Happy Epiphany

January 20, 2016
First point on Holy Family trail in Egypt officially opened: Where Mother Mary baked

First point on Holy Family trail in Egypt officially opened: Where Mother Mary baked

January 20, 2021
Funeral for Coptic woman killed by her husband in Sydney

Funeral for Coptic woman killed by her husband in Sydney

May 26, 2019

Features

Coronavirus vaccination starts in Egypt
Health

Coronavirus vaccination starts in Egypt

January 24, 2021
0

The first vaccinations against coronavirus started today, 24 January, at Abu-Khalifa Hospital in the town of Ismailia in theSuez Canal...

Read more
Watani started as an Egyptian weekly Sunday newspaper published in Cairo. The word Watani is Arabic for “My Homeland”. The paper was founded in 1958 by the prominent Copt Antoun Sidhom (1915 – 1995), who strove for the establishment of a civil, democratic society in Egypt, where all Egyptians would enjoy full citizenship rights regardless of their religious denomination. To this day when Watani is published as a weekly paper and an online news site, the objective remains the same. Those in charge of Watani view this role as a patriotic all-Egyptian vocation. Special attention is given to shedding light on Coptic culture and tradition as authentically Egyptian, this being a topic largely disregarded or little-understood by Egypt’s media. Watani is deeply dedicated to offer its readers high quality, extensive, objective, credible and well-researched media coverage, with special focus on Coptic issues, culture, heritage, and contribution to Egyptian society.
-----------------------------------------------------------

27 Abdel Khalek Tharwat st, Downtown, Abdeen,Cairo

00202-23927201

00202-23935946

 [email protected]

      

categories

  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Egypt – Arab Spring
  • Coptic Affairs
  • Features
  • Watani Special Features

Recent Posts

  • Coronavirus vaccination starts in Egypt
  • Egyptian artist awarded gold medal in Moscow
  • “Spend winter in Egypt”
  • Tuk tuk and minivan: Issues carried into 2021
  • First point on Holy Family trail in Egypt officially opened: Where Mother Mary baked
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Egypt – Arab Spring
  • Coptic Affairs
  • Features
  • Watani Special Features

Powered BY 3A Digital.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Accidents
    • Crime
    • Diplomatic briefcase
    • NewsLine
    • Outside Cairo
    • Special Occasions
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • International media
    • Reader`s Corner
    • Opinion
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • International Politics
    • Islamisation Politics
    • National Affairs
    • Parliament
    • Politics
    • Protests
    • Rights
    • Terrorism
  • Culture
    • Antiquity
    • Art
    • Books
    • Culture
    • Drama
    • Egyptology
    • Festivals
    • Films
    • Heritage
    • Islamisation Culture
    • Media
    • Museums
    • Music
    • TV
  • Coptic
    • Church Affairs
    • Coptic Affairs
    • Coptic Culture
    • Copts in the Media
    • Coptology
    • Copts Abroad
    • Religious
      • P. Shenouda: Bible Study
    • Sectarian
    • Inter-religious
    • Holy Family
  • Features
    • Counselling Corner
    • features
    • Economy
      • Business
    • Education
    • Social Issues
      • Behaviour
      • Mothers Day
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Humour
    • In memorial
    • Interviews
    • Nile
    • Profile
    • Special needs
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Tourism
    • Wars
    • Women
    • Youth
  • Watani Special Features
    • Egypt – Arab Spring
      • 25 January Revolution
      • 25 Jan revolution, one year on
      • Egypt post-30 June
    • Watani Milestones
      • 10 years Watani International
      • Watani Jubilee
    • Pope Shenouda
    • Pope Tawadros
    • Watani Forum

Powered BY 3A Digital.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In