This paper argues that the policy of free, or almost free, public higher education in the countries
of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has generally failed to achieve its objective
of ensuring equal access to postsecondary education for people from all social classes and
backgrounds. The paper looks specifically at the case of Egypt and shows that the policy of free
public education in the country has in fact created an utterly unequal system where scarce public
resources are generously subsidizing the education of the well-to-do at the expense of the poor,
who are virtually excluded from the higher education system. Furthermore, access is almost
wholly determined by circumstances such as family background and wealth.