Egypt’s recently appointed education minister, Mohamed Abdel Latif, finds himself embroiled in controversy, Middle East Eye reports on July 4th. Online fact checkers have revealed that his PhD, prominently featured in government promotional materials, appears to be in question for its authenticity.
On Wednesday, July 3rd, the new Egyptian government was sworn in following a reshuffle that retained the prime minister but altered 20 ministerial portfolios, including that of Mohamed Abdel Latif.
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The reshuffle is the first since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi commenced his third six-year term in April 2024. The new cabinet will confront heavily debt-laden economy and energy crisis, but is anticipated to function as a rubber-stamp administration, following a decade of military rule consolidation dominated by Sisi supporters.
Abdel Latif’s CV, disseminated by the ministry and across all government media outlets, lists two postgraduate degrees from the US: a PhD from Cardiff City University and a master’s degree in education development from Lawrence University in 2012.
Hossam el-Hendy, Egyptian journalist and fact-checker, has questioned the authenticity of the PhD claimed by the new minister, who uses the title “doctor”. El-Hendy identified the university in the US as a “fake institution issuing counterfeit documents”, clarifying that it is not the renowned Cardiff University in the UK.
Fake universities are typically companies without campuses or faculty, granting non-accredited papers or certificates,
-the fact – checker wrote.
The photo of Cardiff City University’s campus on its website is actually of Trinity College Great Court at Cambridge University. Additionally, the university’s listed address corresponds to an office rental building in Washington used for company startups.
The university’s email domain differs from its website domain and is available for sale. Archive records show that in 2010, the domain was linked to a different institution, not Cardiff City University, El-Hendy revealed. Additionally, Middle East Eye found no education development MA program on Lawrence University’s website and has sought comment from the university.
Abdel Latif’s recent experience includes managing private schools. He has served as CEO of the Nermine Ismail (NIS) private school chain, owned by his mother, the daughter of Field Marshal Ahmed Ismail. His CV also lists his role as managing director of AdvancED Education, which accredits American school certificates. Middle East Eye has contacted Abdel Latif’s office for comment.
El-Hendy’s post has gone viral, raising questions about the criteria for selecting ministers in President Sisi’s government.
Middle East Eye