The Yemeni Embassy in Cairo confirms the continuation of coordination with the Egyptian authorities to open Yemeni schools on its territory

The Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Cairo confirmed the continuation of coordination with the Egyptian authorities to ensure the return of 6,000 Yemeni students to schools after they were closed by the Egyptian authorities at the end of last month.

The embassy explained in a statement on its Facebook page that the issue of Yemeni schools in Cairo was among the priorities of the meeting between President Rashad Al-Alimi and his brother, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which was held on the sidelines of the twelfth session of urban communities held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

She pointed out that the issue had been followed up by the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the past period, and given its importance, it was among the priorities of the presidential meeting.

The embassy confirmed that the government, represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy, will continue to coordinate with the executive authorities in Egypt to develop appropriate solutions, ensuring the continuation of educational services for the community and the return of more than six thousand students to school, while taking into account the legalization of the status of schools in accordance with the procedures of the host country.

At the end of last October, the Egyptian authorities closed all Yemeni schools that provide educational services to the children of the Yemeni community in Egypt, in a surprising move that Cairo justified by the fact that the schools did not have licenses.

Yemeni sources in Cairo told "Yemeni Youth Net" that the Egyptian authorities have begun closing Yemeni schools in different areas of Egypt, most notably in Giza, noting that the number of schools that have been closed is 15 schools that used to accommodate more than 6,000 students from the Yemeni community residing in Egypt, explaining that the Egyptian authorities attributed the decision to close the schools to the fact that they do not have licenses.

One of the sources said that the decision to close the schools has other dimensions in addition to the argument that they do not have licenses, including that the schools teach the Yemeni curriculum and not the Egyptian one, noting that the Egyptian authorities requested the signing of a cooperation protocol between the ministries of education in the two countries that would allow the legalization of the presence of Yemeni schools, accusing the Yemeni embassy and the cultural attaché in Cairo of not performing their role as required.

For its part, the Administrative Authority of the Yemeni Community in Egypt said in a previous statement that it is following up on the issue of closing Yemeni schools operating in the Arab Republic of Egypt that serve the community’s children, noting that it is making efforts simultaneously with the efforts of the embassy and the cultural attaché following up with the official Egyptian authorities, through several visits and letters to the concerned authorities.

She stated that these efforts have generally resulted in the understanding of the Egyptian brothers and their constant and continuous keenness to correct and regulate the situation in a way that serves and consolidates the strong relationship between the two countries.

In its statement, the Authority called on the Yemeni community to give the official authorities the opportunity to communicate with the Egyptian side and reach solutions to these problems away from the media tension and the momentum of social media.

In turn, the administrations of Yemeni schools sent a joint letter to the Yemeni Minister of Education, Tariq Al-Akbari, in which they said: “We inform you that the schools are currently facing a closure decision by the Egyptian authorities due to their request for an explicit memorandum of approval from you to open Yemeni schools in the Arab Republic of Egypt.”

The message, which was obtained by Yemen Youth Net, added: “Because the delay may lead to the loss of an academic year for our students, who number 6,000 students and who have been displaced to Egypt for treatment and to escape the horrors of war and the current situation in Yemen.”

She concluded by saying: “We ask Your Excellency to kindly issue a letter to the Egyptian Minister of Education, which the embassy will deliver to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, including approval to open Yemeni schools in Egypt, according to the request of the Egyptian Ministry of Education, in a way that meets the procedural requirements and ensures the stability of the educational process in order to preserve the national identity.”