DUBAI: The Big Heart Foundation, a humanitarian organization based in the UAE that operates globally, has announced that it is building a primary school to help meet the educational needs of vulnerable communities in Egypt’s Matrouh Governorate.
El-Nour Primary School will accommodate 600 students, teachers and support staff. The project, valued at $607,743, aims to increase access to high-quality, early-childhood education, provide pupils with a nurturing and empowering learning environment, and reduce dropout rates, which are typically higher in marginalized communities. It is being carried out in collaboration with Misr El-Kheir Foundation, an Egyptian non-profit organization that has been operating in the country since 2007.
Matrouh Governorate, in the northwest of the country, has a high illiteracy rate of 33 percent, and 65 percent of those who are illiterate are women. It also also has the highest rate of school dropouts in the country, at 7.6 percent.
TBHF said it will build, furnish and equip the new school, which will have 11 classrooms, a library, science lab, technology lab and activity room. It will also provide capacity-building programs to help teachers improve their professional skills and expand their knowledge and capabilities.
In addition, the foundation said, the school will organize activities designed to encourage interaction between pupils and create a nurturing, vibrant social environment that will inspire them to continue their education, reducing the dropout rate. Community-based monitoring of the school will increase the sense of local ownership of the project and help ensure its goals are met.
“TBHF is committed to supporting long-term sustainable projects that directly impact and elevate the quality of life of vulnerable communities everywhere,” said Mariam Al-Hammad, the foundation’s director.
“Inclusive access to education is a fundamental pillar in the sustainable development goals of any nation, and we aim to assist communities in their efforts to develop human capital and boost their competitiveness.
“For young generations to have a fair shot at building bright futures, a good education is an absolute must.”
The school construction project is scheduled to be completed by September 2023.
