The Egyptian education minister learnt about school life in Britain during a visit to a Barking primary school.
Dr Mahamoud Aboel Nasr was part of a delegation who spent the morning at Eastbury Primary on Wednesday last week.
He found out about the thriving Dawson Avenue school’s use of the international primary curriculum before taking to the airwaves on the school’s radio station for a question and answer session led by pupils.
About 10,000 schools are currently being built in Egypt and the visit was designed to highlight good practice which has helped the school improve in recent years and could be replicated abroad.
Headteacher Leigh Hovey said Dr Nasr was particularly inspired by the way in which the school brings together different subjects for coordinated learning.
“The education minister seemed really impressed,” he said. “We now plan to work together in partnership to develop their curriculum and train staff.
The visit, organised by the British Council, was part of a five-day trip to London which also saw Dr Nasr visit schools in Kensington and Chelsea and Battersea.
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