Cambridge and British Council celebrate Silver Jubilee and Outstanding Learner Awardees in Egypt
- 91 awards given to Egyptian students for exceptional performance in the 2014 Cambridge IGCSE and International AS and A Level exams.
- British Council Egypt and CIE celebrate 25 years of providing educational opportunities to Egyptian students to help them attend the best universities, find career opportunities and set themselves up for a more rewarding life.
- British Council Egypt create partnerships with around 100 schools, which together serve around 22,000 students, supporting them in achieving the quality standards needed for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and International AS and A Level qualifications.
Cairo, 11 March, 2015 – British Council Egypt and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) were honoured to announce the Egyptian winners of the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards in Cairo and Alexandria. The Annual award ceremonies were held in Cairo on Tuesday 10 March under the patronage of the British Ambassador, HMA John Casson, and in Alexandria on Monday 9 March with the presence of the British Consul General, HMCG Caroline Alcock and his Excellency Hany Elmessiry, Governor of Alexandria.
91 learners, including 57 in Cairo and 34 in Alexandria, received awards for exceptional performance in Cambridge examinations, including five learners who achieved the highest marks in the world and 35 learners who attained the highest marks in Egypt in a single subject.
Co-hosted by Michael O’Sullivan, Chief Executive Cambridge International Examinations; and Mark Stephens, Director British Council Egypt the ceremony celebrated the academic achievements of secondary school learners in the 2014 Cambridge IGCSE and International AS and A Level exams.
John Casson, British Ambassador in Cairo, hailed the outstanding students and said: 'Young people are Egypt’s greatest asset and with high-quality education there is no limit to what they can do. So it is a privilege to meet these exceptional young students who have achieved brilliant results in their exams. This partnership between the British Council and Cambridge International Examinations gives young Egyptian students the chance to earn internationally-renowned qualifications, which are highly valued across the world. It is just one element of the wide-ranging support Britain offers to Egypt’s education and skills sector. '
'Whether through English language lessons or employability skills training at the British Council, through the internationally-renowned Chevening Scholarships scheme, or through the brand new £20 million Newton-Mosharafa science and research fund, Britain is helping equip young Egyptians with the education, skills, and training they need to succeed. And with more than 50% of Egyptians under the age of 25, this support has never been more vital to Egypt’s long-term future.'
Caroline Alcock, British Consul General, said: 'I am always pleased and proud to meet talented young people who choose British education and qualifications to help develop their skills and achieve their goals. It is a great honour to be able to celebrate the success of young Alexandrians who are not only the top performers in their class or school, but rank highly amongst their peers elsewhere in Egypt, and indeed across the world.'
This year the Award ceremonies coincide with the Silver anniversary of Cambridge IGCSE and International AS and A Level exams in Egypt. To mark this event, British Council Egypt along with Cambridge International Examinations will hold a celebration on Thursday 12 March.
Michael O’Sullivan, CEO Cambridge International Examinations, said: 'It is a great honour to be here today with our colleagues at the British Council to celebrate the Outstanding Cambridge Learners in Cairo. We value our close relationship with Egypt, and it’s really encouraging to see the growth in the popularity of our examinations here.
We will continue to provide schools here in Egypt and all over the world with first-rate programmes and qualifications that prepare you for the challenges and opportunities of the modern age and enable you to become active citizens capable of shaping a better world in the future.'
Mark Stephens, Director British Council Egypt, said: 'Every year we celebrate the exceptional performance of young Egyptians in Cambridge examinations confirming our commitment to develop their skills, provide them a passport to higher education and open to them the door to quality work opportunities.
This year we are celebrating 25 years of success with our valuable partner, Cambridge International Examinations, in Egypt. Since 1990, we have been working together with the Ministry of Education to prepare Egyptian learners for tomorrow’s world and support a more prosperous Egypt.'
The IGCSE exams were first introduced by the British Council in Egypt in 1990 and attract around 22,000 candidates a year from over 100 different schools across Egypt. They represent one part of the wide range of highly distinguished educational systems and programmes offered by the British Council in Egypt in cooperation with Cambridge International Examinations and the Ministry of Education.
View the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award winners on the British Council’s facebook page