Egypt’s international schools must teach Arabic, religious studies and social studies or history under a 2024 decree. Arabic and history count for 20% of the international certificate grade. In June 2026 the Ministry found grading violations in 12 of 45 schools inspected. From 2026/27, transfers into Grade 12 are banned, and from 2027/28 only into Grade 10.
For the admissions and equivalence side, see our Egypt country guide. This article covers what the rules require and how they are enforced.
What does the 2024 decree require?
National subjects at every stage, following the Ministry’s content. Ahram Online reported that the Ministry of Education and Technical Education “issued a decree late in August” 2024. It mandates “all licensed international schools to include Arabic as a subject at the kindergarten (KG) stage” (Ahram Online, September 2024).
| Stage | Required subjects | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Arabic | — |
| Grades 1–3 | Arabic and Religious Studies, following the public-school curriculum | — |
| Grades 4–9 | Arabic, Religious Studies and Social Studies | Arabic and Social Studies “will each constitute 10 percent of the overall grade at the end of each academic year” |
| Grades 10–12 | Arabic, History and Religious Studies | For the international certificate, Arabic and History “10 percent each of the overall grade”, set by a Ministry general exam |
The policy applied “from kindergarten (KG1) to the ninth grade … starting the academic year 2024/2025” and “to tenth-grade students starting from the 2025/2026 academic year”. The American Diploma uses a different formula: GPA 40%, American final exams 40%, and a combined Arabic and History exam 20%.
What is the “20% rule”?
The combined weight of the two national subjects in the final grade. At secondary level, Arabic and History each count for 10% of the international certificate’s overall grade, making 20% in total. That grade is the certificate treated as equivalent to the Thanaweya Amma. The two subjects are examined through “a general exam organized by the Ministry of Education”. In Grades 4–9, Arabic and Social Studies carry the same 10% each. A student with strong IGCSE results but weak Arabic can therefore lose a fifth of the total.
How is the Ministry enforcing it?
Through exam inspections and legal investigations. In June 2026, “the ministry became suspicious after a number of schools reported success rates reaching 100 percent” in Arabic, social studies and religious education. “Inspection committees subsequently reviewed examination procedures in 45 international schools and found violations in 12 of them.” The committees found students given “full marks or scores exceeding 80 percent despite answer sheets being completely blank”. The cases went to the Ministry’s legal affairs department “for investigation and possible disciplinary action” (Ahram Online, 20 June 2026).
The Ministry’s spokesperson, Shady Zalata, said the Ministry “has not introduced any new subjects but is enforcing existing regulations”. That matters for leaders: internal marking of national subjects is now audited, and inflated results carry legal risk.
What are the new transfer rules?
Transfers into international secondary schools are being narrowed to Grade 10 only. On 8 July 2026, the Ministry said:
| Academic year | Transfers into international schools at secondary |
|---|---|
| 2026/2027 | Third-year (Grade 12) transfers “banned from the start of the 2026/2027 academic year”; the “last year in which second-year secondary transfers … will be accepted”; first-year transfers continue |
| From 2027/2028 | ”Restricted to students applying for the first year of secondary school” |
The Ministry’s reason is that international secondary programmes are “based on a sequential and cumulative academic track that begins in the first year of secondary school”. Enforcement is personal. Any procedure that breaks the rules will see “the official responsible for issuing, approving, or implementing the decision” investigated by the Ministry’s General Department of Legal Affairs (Ahram Online, 8 July 2026).
What about accreditation and registration?
The Ministry is also centralising certificate accreditation. In 2026 it took over the accreditation of international school certificates, with fees in Egyptian pounds; our Egypt guide covers what is confirmed. Exam registration is affected too. British Council Egypt’s October–November 2026 price list notes, for Core IGCSE entries in Grade 9, that “we will not proceed with Grade 9 Core registration until we receive final confirmation from the Ministry of Education” (British Council Egypt).
What should IG school leaders check now?
- Timetable every required national subject by grade, using the Ministry’s content.
- Separate and document national-subject marking, with moderation, so internal results can withstand inspection.
- Check admissions against the transfer rules before accepting any Grade 11 or 12 applicant. Record who approved each transfer.
- Plan for 2027/28, when secondary admissions narrow to Grade 10 only. Forecast Grade 10 intake accordingly.
- Support Arabic and History attainment, since they carry 20% of the certificate grade.
- Track Ministry directives on accreditation and exam registration each term.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
When a fifth of the certificate depends on national subjects, IGCSE time gets tighter. AI Buddy gives students past-paper-style Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel practice with instant marking. Teachers get topic-level data to focus lesson time. For inspection-ready evidence of assessment practice, see how to build a defensible assessment evidence base. Arabic, religious studies and history teaching remain the school’s own.
Frequently asked questions
What subjects must international schools in Egypt teach?
Arabic from KG; Arabic and Religious Studies in Grades 1–3; Arabic, Religious Studies and Social Studies in Grades 4–9; and Arabic, History and Religious Studies in Grades 10–12.
What is the 20% rule for international schools in Egypt?
Arabic and History each count for 10% of the international certificate’s overall grade, 20% in total, through a Ministry exam. In Grades 4–9, Arabic and Social Studies each count for 10%.
Can students transfer to an international school in Grade 12 in Egypt?
No. From 2026/27, Grade 12 transfers into international schools are banned. 2026/27 is the last year for Grade 11 transfers; from 2027/28, transfers are into Grade 10 only.
What happened in the 2026 international school grading investigation?
The Ministry inspected exam procedures in 45 international schools and found violations in 12, including full marks awarded for blank answer sheets. Cases were referred for legal investigation.
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Sources
- Ahram Online, Experts and parents debate new Arabic subjects in international schools in Egypt (September 2024)
- Ahram Online, Egypt probes international schools exam grading irregularities (20 June 2026)
- Ahram Online, Egypt to ban third-year secondary transfers to int’l schools from 2026/2027 (8 July 2026)
- British Council Egypt, Cambridge International price list, October–November 2026