Ain Shams University was keen to contribute to the illiteracy eradication program, using all means, capabilities and human cadres capable of helping in this field in order to achieve the goal of an illiteracy-free Egypt by 2030. Based on this goal, Ain Shams University and its faculties were able to reach advanced positions compared to other universities in the field of illiteracy eradication, which made it worthy and well-deserved to receive the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy for the year 2021, especially since it won the prize for organizing literacy classes online for rural areas throughout the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy for the year 2021 is submitted to 170 countries worldwide. It is an award created by China and supervising its organization and handing over to UNESCO to be a supervisory partner for its organization and award.

Ain Shams University procedures

In this regard, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of Ain Shams University, revealed, during the university's award ceremony, the actions taken by Ain Shams University since 2019, which reinforced the university's winning of this award, which was represented by the university signing a cooperation protocol with the authority regarding the literacy project, which It provided a set of possibilities and incentives with innovative methods and various incentives that was fruitful, following University Council Decision No. 36 of 2019 approving that students of theoretical faculties educate 4 individuals as a condition for obtaining a graduation certificate, in addition to issuing an incentive of (250) pounds for each student freed from illiteracy from the Literacy and Adult Education Authority, in addition to issuing an incentive of (50) pounds for each student who is freed from illiteracy, in addition to an exemption from the expenses of the next year for everyone who eradicates illiteracy (4) students provided by the university. It is carried out by comprehensive development convoys, as His Eminence explained that, in addition to medical and treatment services, it also includes literacy.

Prof. Dr. El-Metini pointed out that cooperation with the Adult Education Authority has been strengthened using digital technology as an alternative, and the Corona pandemic has been exploited in the speed of digital transformation and the use of digital technology, pointing to the role of comprehensive convoys carried out by the university in providing comprehensive medical care in addition to the existence of literacy. As an essential in addition to teaching simple crafts.

The President of Ain Shams University also thanked Prof. Dr. El-Hilali El-Sherbiny, the former Minister of Education, and Prof. Dr. Abdel Fattah Saoud, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, and Prof. Dr. Hesham Temraz, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, Dr. Ashour Omari, Head of the Adult Education Authority.

Ain Shams as an important partner

On his part, Prof. Dr. Ashour Omari, head of the General Authority for Adult Education and Literacy, expressed his happiness at celebrating the UNESCO Literacy Prize, which was won by the experience of Ain Shams University, in cooperation with the General Authority for Adult Education, stressing that winning the Confucius Prize did not come from a vacuum, but there was a clear plan between the authority and state institutions. The main partner in this experiment is the Egyptian universities, especially Ain Shams University.

The Chinese Ambassador in Cairo, Liao Liqiang, also delivered an online speech in which he congratulated Ain Shams University for winning the Confucius Prize, praising the cooperation between Egypt and China.

During the celebration, which was attended by the President of Ain Shams University and the Vice Presidents for Graduate Studies and Research, Prof. Dr. Ayman Saleh, Prof. Dr. Abdel Fattah Saoud for Education and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Hisham Tamraz for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, Dr. Lubna Saleh, who managed to obtain a doctorate degree with distinction with honors and a recommendation to publish in various universities and print it at the expense of the state, and this is her graduation from literacy classes and the completion of the science career in middle and secondary, then university and graduate studies.

The Media

Many written, electronic and visual media have dealt with Ain Shams University winning the Confucius Prize.

The importance of this award was an incentive for the media to host Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Matini in various meetings, during which he stated that for the first time in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa, Ain Shams University was able to win this award, indicating that Ain Shams University is convinced of the importance of literacy, especially in light of development. In various fields, which are difficult to reap in the presence of illiteracy, so a plan was developed to advance and work literacy.

He added that Ain Shams University's interest in literacy was prominent and clear, but with the emergence of the Corona pandemic, the concern was that work on the literacy project would stop, so it was resorted to using different educational platforms in literacy classes.

Prof. Dr. El-Metini pointed out that at the end of last year, all students at theoretical faculties were obligated to eradicate the illiteracy of 4 citizens before graduating from the university.

The university president stressed that eradicating illiteracy is a national duty imposed on all state institutions, and that the goal now is to eradicate digital and technological illiteracy, not illiteracy in reading and writing.

Literacy of 30 thousand citizens

For his part, Prof. Dr. Hesham Tamraz, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development, said that at the beginning of the work on the literacy project, the results were not good, as only 37 people were literate, so the university resorted to setting a set of rules, that each student will erase Illiteracy is 4 persons for whom the university will pay the tuition fees and will receive facilities, whether in accommodation in the university dormitory, as well as participation in trips, student activities and others. These incentives had good results, as the number of holders of literacy certificates in the second cycle of the project increased to 5,000 people, and in the next cycle reached 7,500, and in the next cycle, illiteracy was reached 9,500 people, and the increase in literacy rates continued until Ain Shams University managed to eradicate the illiteracy of about 22,000 citizens within one year, and by the end of the year, illiteracy was reached 30,000 citizens.