Egypt is ramping up its educational preparations for the 2024-2025 academic year, with the Ministry of Education officially announcing the start date as September 21, 2024. The school year is structured to operate for 35 weeks, wrapping up the second term by June 5, 2025.
The first academic term will begin on Monday, September 21, 2024, and conclude on January 23, 2025. Following this, the second term is scheduled to kick off on February 8, 2025, which will lead students to their summer break.
One notable date on the academic calendar is the mid-year vacation, which will last two weeks. Starting from January 25, 2025, and running through February 6, 2025, students will have time to relax amid their busy study schedules.
The second academic term, which is set to end on May 29, will see students take their finals during June 2025. The exact exam schedules will be determined closer to the test dates and will take the varying educational needs of students across different grades and disciplines under consideration.
A highlight for students will be the end-of-year vacation, which officially commences after the final examinations for secondary school students conclude, allowing for family travels and personal pursuits.
According to the calendar, several public holidays will punctuate the school year, including:
- Moulid al-Nabi on Wednesday, October 6, 2024.
- Armed Forces Day on Sunday, October 6.
- Coptic Christmas on Wednesday, January 7, 2025.
- Revolution Day on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
- Eid al-Fitr from Monday, March 31, 2025, to Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
- Sham El-Nessim on Monday, April 21, 2025.
- Sinai Liberation Day on Friday, April 25, 2025.
- Labor Day on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
- Eid al-Adha from Wednesday, June 5, 2025, until Sunday, June 9, 2025.
It's important to note how some holidays will shift based on their occurrences during the week. For example, holidays falling midweek might see their observance moved to the nearest weekend to enable longer breaks for family gatherings or trips. This adjustment is particularly evident with major holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, where actual observance may vary based on lunar sightings.
Public holidays are also integral to the school break schedule. Significant for both educators and students alike, holidays offer much-needed pauses. For example, Coptic Christmas allows families to celebrate together and offers another respite before the school year gains momentum.
Holidays are viewed not just as days off but as opportunities for cultural and religious observances, allowing Egyptians to observe community traditions and re-affirm family ties. The diversity of holidays from religious to nationalistic celebrates Egypt's rich history and gives everyone time to reflect, rejoice, and rest.
Overall, the comprehensive academic calendar for the 2024-2025 school year includes key dates, holidays, and schedules crafted by the Ministry of Education to streamline educational objectives to benefit students and families. From pivotal start and end dates to holiday observances interspersed throughout, students, parents, and educators are expected to adapt to these timelines to make the most of the forthcoming year.