Educating my children in Egypt is probably the most complex issue I am dealing with at the moment.
There are a few different options, and nothing fits! I can either send them to a public school, a private national school, a private international school or an Azhari school.
Public is a no-go; the schools are filthy, not air-conditioned, maybe 40 kids to one teacher all piled into a tiny classroom.
Private National seems to be slightly better, but only slightly.
International can vary GREATLY. So can the price. I can send my kid here and pay 8000LE (roughly $1200) or send my kid here and pay 180,000LE (that's $30,000!) for pre-kindergarten. Neither is exceptional (although the 2nd is affiliated with the US State Department).
Azhari is Islamic and more rigorous than public, but with the same style of campus. The teaching methods are the same. It costs less than a private national school but isn't close to being free.
My oldest daughter is almost four. She is defiant by nature and has never experienced formal schooling. She is excited to attend school though, which hopefully will lead to a positive experience for her.
So then, what do we do? We aren't wealthy so that limits us to a school of a lower standard. This is SOOO gut wrenching for me, having grown up in the US, where even basic public education is far better than most private schools here. But I was even blessed with a wonderful private college prep education, and I think it makes this all even harder. Of course, my husband grew up poor (Egyptian village poor) and has a vastly different take on education in general. He thinks that any school is better than none, and that she should be in school now (she's still 3 at this point). Oh yeah, and the school year has already started.
So, as of now, I have an un-schooled pre-bwaba princess.
There are a few different options, and nothing fits! I can either send them to a public school, a private national school, a private international school or an Azhari school.
Public is a no-go; the schools are filthy, not air-conditioned, maybe 40 kids to one teacher all piled into a tiny classroom.
Private National seems to be slightly better, but only slightly.
International can vary GREATLY. So can the price. I can send my kid here and pay 8000LE (roughly $1200) or send my kid here and pay 180,000LE (that's $30,000!) for pre-kindergarten. Neither is exceptional (although the 2nd is affiliated with the US State Department).
Azhari is Islamic and more rigorous than public, but with the same style of campus. The teaching methods are the same. It costs less than a private national school but isn't close to being free.
My oldest daughter is almost four. She is defiant by nature and has never experienced formal schooling. She is excited to attend school though, which hopefully will lead to a positive experience for her.
So then, what do we do? We aren't wealthy so that limits us to a school of a lower standard. This is SOOO gut wrenching for me, having grown up in the US, where even basic public education is far better than most private schools here. But I was even blessed with a wonderful private college prep education, and I think it makes this all even harder. Of course, my husband grew up poor (Egyptian village poor) and has a vastly different take on education in general. He thinks that any school is better than none, and that she should be in school now (she's still 3 at this point). Oh yeah, and the school year has already started.
So, as of now, I have an un-schooled pre-bwaba princess.