Parents could soon face financial penalties if their children fail to attend school under legislative amendments greenlit by the cabinet during its weekly meeting yesterday. Amendments to the Education Act would see parents fined between EGP 500 and EGP 1k if their child misses a week of school without a sufficient reason, the cabinet said in a statement following the meeting.

SMART POLICY- Clampdown on child labor: The government is also looking to strengthen penalties for those found in breach of child labor rules, which prohibit employing children younger than 14. Draft amendments to the Labor Act would hand out fines of between EGP 1k and EGP 2k — double the current EGP 500 to EGP 1k fine — for every underage child a business employs. Businesses could potentially see their facilities shut down for up to six months and the fine doubled if the violation is repeated.

A push for industrial investment in Upper Egypt: The cabinet agreed to provide incentives to investors in industrial zones in Upper Egypt governorates, as part of a presidential initiative to establish 13 complexes aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. Participating businesses will be exempted from rent and maintenance fees for the first nine months, and subsequent rent payment will be cut to EGP 15.5-20.5 per meter from EGP 21-22.