Each year, hundreds of thousands of young Egyptians graduate from the nation's schools and universities, then struggle to find jobs that make use of their education.
Ahmed Galel, director of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies, has written about Egyptian unemployment. He says that higher education in Egypt often lacks a payoff.
"Returns are not made for investments that you made in educating these kids," Galal says.
And in a discussion with a small group of students, it's easy to see that they are not hopeful about their future.
Ramy Hamed, who is studying commerce, says he's more pessimistic than optimistic about his job prospects. "I don't think I'll find work that I'll like," he says.
Sharouq El-Rays, a female law student, says there are few public-service jobs for women in Egypt's justice system. "It's only for men…" she says.
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