Chinese Government provides RMB 30 million grant for Phase 2 of Egyptian Remote Education Project (Linked to Record ID#543 and #65829)

Project narrative

In 2002, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) provided a $4 million grant to the Government of Egypt for Phase 1 of the Egyptian Remote Education Project (captured in Record ID#543). Then, on December 6, 2004, Egypt's Minister of State for International Cooperation, Fayza Abul Nagaa, and China's Minister of Commerce, Bo Xilai, signed an RMB 30,000,000 (approximately $4.5 million) grant agreement for Phase 2 of the Egyptian Remote Education Project (captured in Record ID#500). Then, on October 27, 2018, the Chinese Government and the Government of Egypt signed an exchange of letters, committing RMB 79 million ($11.5 million) of grant funding for Phase 3 of the Egyptian Remote Education Project (captured in Record ID#65829). Egyptian Presidential Order No. (2019) ratified the exchange of letters into Egyptian law on June 24, 2019. The grant proceeds for Phase 3 were drawn from an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) that the two governments signed on December 23, 2014. The purpose of the Egyptian Remote Education Project was to establish a distance learning network for Egypt's Ministry of Education. The network was designed to support basic educational courses, lectures, and teacher training activities. The project was implemented in three phases. Phase 1 involved the establishment of 33 distance learning terminals in 27 Egyptian governorates. It also sought to connect these terminals to a training center in ‘Mubarak Education City’ in the city of ‘6th of October’ (Arabic: السادس من أكتوبر‎) within Giza Governorate. Each terminal was equipped with video, audio, and remote white board devices. Phase 2 involved an expansion of the network from 33 terminals to 143 terminals in 27 Egyptian governorates. The purpose of Phase 3 is to expand, upgrade, and transform the measures and technologies already put in place during Phase 1 and 2. It involves an expansion of the network from 143 terminals to 200 terminals (through the installation of audio-visual technologies in 57 additional Egyptian schools). Its ultimate aim is to address a lack of teachers in some schools by connecting students and teachers through audio-visual technologies. Phase 1 project design work began in late 2001. MOFCOM then issued a Phase 1 implementation contract to ZTE Corporation in August 2002. Phase 1 was officially completed and handed over to the local authorities on March 18, 2003. On May 21, 2006, the Government of Egypt’s General Authority For Educational Buildings and China International Telecommunication Construction Corporation (CITCC) signed a Phase 2 implementation contract. Phase 2 commenced on January 31, 2007 and reached completion on June 30, 2007. Then, on January 19, 2016, the Egyptian Ministry of Education and ZTE Corporation signed a cooperation agreement related to Phase 3. As of early 2021, Phase 3 had not yet entered implementation.