Egyptian public buses are to have female drivers for the first time, national media reported on Wednesday.

The national bus service has been badly hit by a lack of staff, with many male drivers leaving to take up better-paid positions at private and tourist companies.

Women willing to become bus drivers will be trained and given a driving license to make up the shortage. Around 150 buses have recently been taken out of service in Cairo alone.

According to the Aljazeera magazine website, women make up 31 % of government sector staff in Egypt.