Education in Cairo, Egypt: official figures
16.2% of people aged 10 and over in Cairo could not read or write at the 2017 census (18.7% of women, 13.9% of men), 5th lowest of the 27 governorates (Egypt: 25.8%). In 2006 the rate was 19.3%.
How many teachers are there in Cairo?
Public schools in Cairo (excluding Al-Azhar and technical schools) had 82,702 teachers in 2023/24, down 3.5% on 2019/20 (Egypt: down 8.5%); 69% were women.
Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity) · saved copyHow many pupils per teacher are there in Cairo primary schools?
Government primary schools in Cairo had 892,014 pupils and 20,683 teachers in 2023/24, 43 pupils per teacher, 4th highest of the 27 governorates (Egypt: 36).
Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity) · saved copyHow many children in Cairo go to private school?
Private primary schools taught another 388,736 pupils, 30.4% of all primary pupils in government and private schools (Egypt: 9.3%).
Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity) · saved copyAre there schools for children with disabilities in Cairo?
Cairo had 135 schools for pupils with disabilities in 2023/24, with 606 classes and 5,987 pupils.
Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity) · saved copyMore figures
- Government general secondary schools in Cairo had 194,015 students and 8,188 teachers in 2023/24, 24 students per teacher (Egypt: 22). Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity) · saved copy
- At the 2017 census 5.5% of people aged 4 and over in Cairo (479,448 people) had enrolled in school and later dropped out, 2nd lowest of the 27 governorates. Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity) · saved copy
How Cairo compares with other governorates
Illiteracy, people aged 10+ (2017 census) (2017)
Cairo ranks 23 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Illiteracy, people aged 10+ (2017 census) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Aswan | 19.1% |
| 21 | Alexandria | 19.0% |
| 22 | South Sinai | 16.6% |
| 23 | Cairo | 16.2% |
| 24 | Suez | 15.3% |
| 25 | New Valley | 14.7% |
| 26 | Port Said | 14.1% |
Pupils per teacher, government primary schools (2023/24)
Cairo ranks 4 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher, government primary schools |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giza | 56 |
| 2 | Beheira | 46 |
| 3 | Faiyum | 45 |
| 4 | Cairo | 43 |
| 5 | Alexandria | 42 |
| 6 | Beni Suef | 42 |
| 7 | Asyut | 38 |
More on Cairo: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · Egypt
Sources
- Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity): Statistical Yearbook 2025, part 3: table 21-7 (illiteracy among people aged 10 and over, 2006 and 2017 censuses), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 325979811b41…)
- Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) (copy published by the Ministry of Social Solidarity): Statistical Yearbook 2025, part 2: tables 11-6 (public pre-university teachers, 2019/20-2023/24), 11-8 and 11-10 (primary and general secondary pupils and teachers, 2023/24), 11-25 (schools for pupils with disabilities) and 11-40 (school drop-out, 2017 census); Ministry of Education and Technical Education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 72f291831ffa…)
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