Egypt’s Ministry of Education and Vocational Education has extended the submission deadline for developers interested in the country’s school public-private partnership (PPP) programme being developed under the PPP Central Unit.

Sources close to the scheme have told MEED that the deadline has been extended due to significant interest in the project.

According to the PPP Central Unit, 81 companies submitted their prequalification documents in February this year with the draft contract currently being prepared by the authorities.

The local NI Capital, which is part of the state-owned National Investment Bank, carried out pre-feasibility studies.

The first phase covers 200 schools in Cairo, Alexandria and Qalyubia.

The schools PPP will involve building, operating and maintaining schools in urban areas, including educational services, on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

The first phase will be split into a number of geographical packages. The first package of as many as 30 schools could be tendered this year. Investors can bid for multiple packages, especially if they are in neighbouring areas.

The entire scheme could include as many as 2,000 schools over several phases.