Background Info
First, what is DECI? It’s an initiative powered by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology which was founded in 2022. It caters to learners from the 1st preparatory year through the 2nd secondary year, providing them with opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge.
This is made for the students who are eager to learn about the technological field which also supports the Idea of Digital Egypt and how Egypt will become more dependent on Technology building Strong Youth that helps in achieving this Idea.
Withdrawing over 1.5 billion Egyptian Pounds from the national treasury for the DECI initiative raises important questions: Does this represent a wise investment in Egypt's future in education and innovation, or could it burden the economy and affect the nation's financial stability?
Distribution of Students In DECI
To apply, you must first visit the official website and upload your information, such as your National ID, GPA, and interests. If you are accepted, you will then go to a physical location to take an exam based on the level you are applying for. If successful, students are then distributed according to their technical skills and abilities across five levels. In levels one and two, you learn the basics of computers, such as coding with blocks like a game, and foundational knowledge in various fields as shown in the table below.
| Fields | What we learn in it |
| 1- Robotics and Embedded Systems | Hardware and Electronics, Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers, Programming and Software Development, …..etc |
| 2- Software Development | Programming Languages and Syntax, Data Structures and Algorithms, Mobile Application Development, ….etc |
| 3- Artificial Intelligence and Data Science | Mathematical Foundations, Data Analysis and Visualization, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Data Engineering, Data Science workflow, AI Ethics and Bias, …..etc |
| 4- Network & Cyber Security | Security Controls & Defensible Network Architecture, Defending and Securing Systems and Networks Detecting Malicious Activity, Cryptography, and Vulnerability Management, social engineering, Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), Authorization, Isolation, and Auditing, Responding to Cyber Attacks, …..etc |
| 5- Digital Arts | Graphic Design Fundamentals, Digital Illustration and Painting, 3D Modeling and Animation, Motion Graphics,…..etc |
From DECI profile 2024 & Students enrolled in all fields
From Level 3 after you have known the field you are interested in, you choose the field that has appealed to you most and your passion directed you to, for level 3,4,5 you go deeper into the field you love, do projects, take exams, and gain a hands-on experience in the field you love.
The first batch of students in DECI for the 2022/2023 year consisted of over 8,000 students, with only three levels available: 1, 2, and 3. Level 3 was the most challenging, with fewer than 100 students, and I was one of them.
What learning opportunities does DECI offer?
The journey of learning all over the year is divided into 2 Main things:
1- The Weekly online sessions.
2- Monthly Physical sessions
3- The summer bootcamp.
Firstly, What are the weekly online sessions? Our content is organized into weekly modules, such as Week 1, Week 2, etc. At the end of each week, there is a 3-hour online session, led by a cybersecurity engineer. During these sessions, any misunderstandings or clarifications about the content are addressed. Once the material for the week is fully covered, participants are divided into breakout rooms, forming teams to apply what they've learned in practical exercises. This exercise is done by solving a problem or Playing a game! Playing a game was the best way to make me understand easily and the best way to save information, we played a lot of games like Cybermission, Education Arcade, and other games.
Secondly, What are the monthly physical sessions? Physical sessions are done not to learn more about the technical field or something like that, but it was done to enhance our soft skills, break ICE, and know new people similar to you, having a mentor that gives you interesting games related to the content making the educational process is just like a game but with the profit of knowledge. Physical sessions also have a different purpose: doing the tests that have an important role in continuing to be in the Initiative or being revoked, which we will discuss in the next section.
Physical sessions were the main gate for me to make new friendships that are lasting till now and really nice people I’m proud to be one of them.
Image of Physical sessions at DECI
Lastly, What is the summer boot camp? At the end of the year, there is a continuous 6-day program that plays a huge role in developing my teamwork skills and how you can in a short time build up a team be cooperative, and do a Final Product (Project) to be successful and pass all the requirements given.
The Projects and all the revocation Stages
TO Pass one year in DECI, you must do 2 Projects, After completing around four projects so far, I've noticed that some of the projects were really interesting & I loved doing them because they were practical and very related to our content, especially for the second Project of the year, I found that the first project of the year was a little bit boring just writing a pdf and do some coding which is not much related to the topic.
The overall rating for these projects is really good, knowing that to pass you must pass all the requirements of the project to get 100% not less.
Do all of these really deserve one year for only ONE CERTIFICATE?
Currently, everything revolves around certificates and credentials , but I once came across a sentence that I will never forget, as it profoundly reshaped my perspective: 'Qualification holds greater value than certification.'
The ability to effectively motivate students, particularly at the preparatory and secondary stages, is a cornerstone in determining the success of large-scale systems such as education and competitive frameworks.
Many students in DECI crave recognition for their efforts and contributions. However, given that DECI has not yet gained widespread popularity, these students often remain unnoticed and undervalued. As previously mentioned, their significant efforts are acknowledged solely through a certificate sent via the platform, with little emphasis on meaningful appreciation. While rewards are offered, I believe there should be an increase in both the quantity and quality of rewards or gifts to properly honor their hard work and dedication.
In essence, DECI is more than just a course with a certificate; it is a vibrant community of dedicated students passionate about technology.
Who am I?
I’m a dedicated student enrolled in the DECI program for nearly three years. I take immense pride in securing second place across the entire governorate, outperforming over 8,000 competitors. This remarkable achievement earned me the honor of being awarded a trip to the USA. But the hand of luck turned wicked, tormenting me like a malevolent shadow, twisting every hopeful moment into a cruel trick of despair.
You will learn more about this story soon in another blog.
