Parenting Tips 02 November 2026 7 min read

Egyptian Baccalaureate System: A Parent's Guide to Choosing

On 15 October 2026, Egypt's official gazette published the rules for studying and being assessed in the Baccalaureate system: Ministerial Decree No. 150 of 2026, according to Al-Ahwal Al-Masriya.

You may have heard conflicting numbers from neighbours and parent groups. Is the exam once or twice? Is the total 600 or 700? Does the programming subject count? We checked the decree and major outlets, and date every detail that could change.

The Egyptian Baccalaureate system is the new route through secondary education in Egypt. This guide covers its legal status, differences from the Thanaweya Amma, tracks, grades and attempts, how to decide, free study resources, and where programming and AI appear. It is current as of 2 November 2026.

What is the Egyptian Baccalaureate system and what is its legal status?

The Egyptian Baccalaureate is a national certificate awarded by the state after three years of secondary study, and it is an optional, free alternative alongside the Thanaweya Amma, which is still in place. Parliament approved an amendment to the education law along those lines in July 2025, according to Ahram Online.

In August 2026 the ministry called it a national certificate issued by the state, with the same university admission rules as the Thanaweya Amma. The current study and exam rules come from the decree published on 15 October 2026.

How is the Baccalaureate different from the Thanaweya Amma?

The biggest differences are the years that count and the number of chances: the Baccalaureate counts the second and third secondary years and offers two sittings a year, while the Thanaweya Amma is decided by the third year. In short:

First year: a preparatory year in the Baccalaureate whose grades do not count toward the total, according to Al-Dostor in August 2026.
Tracks: four tracks instead of the science and literary streams.
Chances: two sittings a year with the best score per subject counted, while the Thanaweya Amma relies on a single sitting in the first round, per Youm7 in August 2025.
University admission: the same coordination rules for both.

What are the four tracks and their subjects?

The four tracks are Medicine and Life Sciences, Engineering and Computer Science, Business, and Arts and Humanities. In year two everyone studies Arabic, the first foreign language and Egyptian history, plus one specialisation subject, under the 2026 decree:

Medicine and Life Sciences: mathematics or physics, then advanced biology and chemistry in year three.
Engineering and Computer Science: chemistry or programming and AI, then advanced mathematics and physics.
Business: accounting or business administration, then advanced economics and mathematics.
Arts and Humanities: psychology or the second foreign language, then advanced geography and statistics.

Financial literacy (year two) and religious education (year three) do not count toward the total, and religious education requires 70% to pass.

How are grades calculated and how many attempts are there?

Six subjects count, each out of 100, so the total is 600. Students may sit the exam twice a year, and the highest score per subject counts. The decree's details:

Year two: first sitting in May, free; second in July, 200 EGP per subject.
Year three: first sitting in June, free; second in August, at the same fee.
Duration: exams may be sat over four school years.
Condition for the first sitting: completing 60% of the weekly and monthly tasks and assessments in each subject, from 2026/2027.
Exam format: 50% multiple choice and 50% essay questions.

If earlier reports gave different figures, go by the decree published in the gazette.

Who does the system apply to, and from when?

The Baccalaureate has applied since the 2025/2026 school year under Decree No. 213 of 2025, so the first group started first secondary that year and is now in second secondary, finishing in 2027/2028.

It admits students with the basic education certificate, or an equivalent such as IGCSE under conditions, including passing the grade 9 exams with at least 50%. For the Thanaweya Amma, the 60% condition applies to its third year from 2027/2028.

How do you choose between the Baccalaureate and the Thanaweya Amma?

Start from the faculties your son or daughter hopes to enter and the subjects they enjoy, not from online rumours. Practical steps:

List possible faculties and ask the school which track qualifies for each.
Choose subjects they enjoy, because specialisation starts in year two.
Weigh their temperament: two sittings ease exam pressure, but the 60% tasks condition is firm.
Remember that changing track is possible in year three, if they studied the new track's year-two subject alongside its two year-three subjects.

Where can you find free Baccalaureate courses and study resources?

Start with the Ministry of Education's e-library, which offers, without registration, the year-two core and specialisation books and the activities. More sources:

The Madrasetna 3 channel: lessons for the Baccalaureate and Thanaweya Amma began on 31 October 2026, according to the Madrasetna secondary YouTube channel, which runs under the ministry's patronage.
Teachers' YouTube channels: some publish free lessons, such as Mr. Khaled Ashraf for programming.

To strengthen programming and AI in particular, some providers offer free courses, though they do not teach the Baccalaureate syllabus:

Digital Egypt Cubs Initiative: a free scholarship from the Ministry of Communications for students in Egyptian schools from the first year of preparatory to the second year of secondary, with entrance tests, according to Al-Ain News in May 2026.
Mahara-Tech: from the Information Technology Institute, with free courses including AI. Many are aimed at adults, so choose together what suits your son or daughter.
Elzero Web School: free programming lessons in Arabic on YouTube, including a Python series.

We have not assessed the quality of these resources, so always compare anything about the syllabus with the ministry book. Some of their owners also sell other courses outside YouTube.

Where do programming and AI appear in the Baccalaureate?

They appear in the first-year secondary book, an option in the Engineering and Computer Science track, and the Qureo platform:

Year one: the book "Programming and Artificial Intelligence: An Introduction to ICT" has 13 units, including programming (algorithms, variables, loops, conditionals) and generative AI with web pages. It sits outside the Baccalaureate total.
Year two: Engineering and Computer Science students may choose it instead of chemistry, with books in Arabic and English in the same library.
Year three: no separate programming subject; the track's two subjects are mathematics and physics.
Qureo: a Japanese platform the ministry activated for first-year secondary students, with exams taken on it, the ministry says, according to Egypt Telegraph on 27 October 2026.

Which skills help your son or daughter in this system?

Four skills help, and you can nurture them now:

Logical thinking: the basis of algorithms, loops and conditionals.
Technical English: some terms and books come in English.
Time management: weekly and monthly tasks need steady follow-up.
Self-directed learning: searching, experimenting and fixing their own mistakes.

How does Megaminds Academy help build programming foundations before secondary school?

At Megaminds Academy, we teach students aged 6 to 16 coding, Python and AI and machine learning in live online classes, in small groups with certified instructors. We don't offer Baccalaureate courses or teach its curriculum, but we build the foundation that shows up later in the programming subject: logic, variables, loops and conditionals.

Frequently asked questions about the Egyptian Baccalaureate system

Is the Egyptian Baccalaureate compulsory?

No. Under the law Parliament approved in July 2025, it is an optional, free system alongside the Thanaweya Amma. Because rules can change, ask the school or education directorate which options are open in your son or daughter's year of enrolment.

Is the Egyptian Baccalaureate recognised internationally?

The ministry says it is a national Egyptian certificate, not an international one, and that it signed an agreement with the International Baccalaureate Organization to review the curricula. Acceptance abroad depends on each country and university.

How many times can a student sit the exam?

Twice in each school year for years two and three: the first is free and the second costs 200 EGP per subject, with the highest score counted, under the 2026 decree.

Finally, there is no single right choice for every family. The best one fits your son or daughter and gives them a fair chance.

Book a trial class now and let them build a programming foundation before they reach secondary school.