CAIRO, Egypt — On January 6, 2025, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the Yemeni embassy in Cairo of its approval to temporarily reopen one Yemeni school among the 15 that have been closed since late October 2024.

This announcement followed a meeting between Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs, Ambassador Ihab Fahmy, and Yemeni Ambassador Khaled Bahah, where they discussed the conditions of the Yemeni community, particularly the issue of Yemeni schools, according to the official Saba News Agency.

Ambassador Fahmy confirmed that the Yemeni Modern School in the Al-Haram area would reopen temporarily until the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, provided that all relevant safety procedures are met.

The Egyptian authorities provided the embassy with a list of private Egyptian schools available for temporary rental to accommodate the remaining Yemeni students until the end of the current academic year.

Fahmy expressed readiness to enroll Yemeni students in various types of Egyptian schools at all educational levels starting next year, pending the fulfillment of necessary conditions to open community schools in Egypt.

The embassy received a list of requirements and conditions from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the reopening of foreign community schools, which must be adhered to for approval.

The conditions include obtaining original approvals from the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs in Yemen, securing approval from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, providing a school location that meets the General Authority for Educational Buildings’ standards, submitting a complete file about the school with all technical details and architectural drawings, and having the curriculum reviewed by relevant authorities in Egypt.

In late October, Yemeni sources in Cairo reported that Egyptian authorities began closing Yemeni schools in various regions, primarily in Giza. The number of closed schools reached 15, affecting over 6,000 students from the Yemeni community residing in Egypt. Egyptian authorities cited the lack of licenses as the reason for the closures, while some attribute it to the schools teaching Yemeni rather than Egyptian curricula.