Egypt’s Minister of Education and Technical Education, Mohamed Abdel Latif, held high-level talks with national child protection officials and civil society leaders to coordinate the launch of a new nationwide awareness campaign aimed at strengthening ethical values and promoting mental health among school students.
The campaign, titled “A Balanced Child, A Cohesive Society,” will be implemented in cooperation with the Egyptian Red Crescent, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM), Fahem Foundation for Psychological Support, and Al-Mashfa Hospital. The initiative seeks to reinforce moral principles, raise awareness of mental health, and foster a safe and supportive educational environment across Egyptian schools.
A coordinated national effort
The meeting brought together Dr. Sahar El-Sonbaty, President of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood; Amb. Nabila Makram, Chair of Fahem Foundation; and Dr. Abdel Nasser Omar, Founder of Al-Mashfa Hospital. Senior education officials also attended, including Deputy Ministers Dr. Ahmed Daher and Dr. Ayman Bahaa El-Din, alongside education and child protection leaders.
Minister Abdel Latif praised the NCCM’s role as the national authority responsible for child protection, emphasizing its contributions to safeguarding children’s rights and supporting motherhood issues. He stressed that sustained institutional coordination is essential to protecting Egyptian children and ensuring stability within the education system.
The minister also commended Fahem Foundation and Al-Mashfa Hospital for their work in supporting students’ psychological well-being, noting that cooperation between government institutions and civil society organizations is a cornerstone for building balanced, safe, and inclusive schools.
Mental health at the heart of education reform
During the discussions, Abdel Latif reviewed the current state of the education system and the ministry’s ongoing efforts to improve learning outcomes and address structural challenges. He emphasized that the awareness campaign must directly target school principals, teachers, students, and parents, with clear mechanisms to measure behavioral and psychological impact over time.
“This initiative is not symbolic,” the minister said, underscoring the importance of continuous evaluation to ensure meaningful results inside classrooms.
Child protection policies and awareness campaigns
Dr. Sahar El-Sonbaty announced that the NCCM is finalizing comprehensive child protection policies to be enforced across all institutions that work with children, particularly schools. She reaffirmed the council’s commitment to protecting children from all forms of violence and abuse.
She also highlighted the continuation of national awareness campaigns such as “Aware and Valued,” launched at the start of the current school year in cooperation with Safe Egypt, which focuses on combating harassment, bullying, and the risks associated with electronic games.
El-Sonbaty confirmed that these campaigns will be expanded within schools nationwide in partnership with the Ministry of Education, praising the ministry’s efforts to modernize and strengthen the education system.
Implementation inside classrooms
The meeting outlined practical mechanisms for implementing the “A Balanced Child, A Cohesive Society” campaign, including:
- Translating ethical values and principles embedded in school curricula into clear, age-appropriate educational messages
- Developing applied models to help students understand and practice positive behaviors
- Training school principals, teachers, and psychological counselors in mental health support and positive student engagement
- Establishing tools to measure changes in student behavior, awareness, and emotional well-being
Participants also discussed strategies for effectively delivering these messages inside classrooms and assessing the campaign’s long-term impact.
Building safer, healthier schools
The initiative reflects Egypt’s broader national strategy to integrate mental health awareness, ethical education, and child protection into the school system. By uniting government institutions, civil society organizations, and healthcare providers, officials aim to create a more resilient generation equipped with strong values and psychological balance.
As the campaign moves toward implementation, education leaders say it will play a key role in strengthening social cohesion and ensuring that schools remain safe spaces for learning, growth, and well-being.
