Egyptian students are heading for Turkey

A recent article in Newsweek writes that the country's schools which, "were already in sorry shape" are now deteriorating which has led many Egyptian students to seek an education abroad.

The article writes that the deepening education crisis in the nation has resulted in the threat of thousands of students being held back. According to Newsweek, since protests began in January 2011 schools have been forced to close repeatedly, with some losing as many as 100 days over the past 18 months. According to the reports experts are saying the situation in Egypt has led students to increasingly seek education opportunities abroad.

The article quotes Sherif Samy head of Misr Capital, the investment bank of Banque Misr as stating, "Students who have the means to study abroad have traditionally turned to the U.S. or Europe for higher education… However, over the past 18 months we're seeing our youth going to Dubai or Turkey to study, which tells me that they just want to get out of here because the future seems so uncertain," states Samy.

Newsweek also writes that according to a report released this year by the U.K.-based think tank Chatham House, over the past four years, Egypt has only spent 129 dollars a year on education, which is about 40 times less than what the United States spends on each student.