Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak launches girls education initiative

Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, chairman of the technical consultative Committee of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, will launch the girl education initiative Sunday and the beginning of its execution in seven governorates to serve more than half a million girls in the first stage.

The initiative will be launched at a ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Dr Atef Ebeid, ministers, governors and representatives of the People's Assembly and Shura Council, research centers, international organizations, NGOS, members of the technical committee, media representatives, and voluntary organizations in the seven governorates in which the initiative will be carried out.

Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak will deliver an address in which she will outline the goals of the initiative.

Ebeid will also make a speech and will be followed by Mrs. Mushira Khattab, Secretary General of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood.

The seven governorates in which the initiative will be carried out are Giza, Fayoum, Minia, Assiut, and Beni Suef, Souhag and Beheira.

The national plan for the education of girls complements efforts of the ministry of education and ministries concerned and reallocating resources to realize the goals of the plan.

The plan aims at striking a balance between boys and girls in receiving basic education by the end of 2005.

The plan aims basically aims at serving 500,000 girls in the 6-14 age bracket. It is required to build 8421 classrooms.

The initiative has been included in the five-year plan and allocations totalling 157 million pounds have been made to carry it out, including 30 million pounds to be spent in the first stage.