Egyptian Education



Figure 1.--This photograph was taken in Port Said, Egypt, apparently by an unidentified German. The dealer believes it was taken during the 1930s. The boys appear to be attending a school at a mosque. We are not sure what kind of school this was. From the way they are dressed they would be boys from well-to-do families.

There were some schools in ancient Egypt, but only a few and very small number of children attended them. All the pupils were boys. Most children learned from their parents at home. In Egypt's strictly statified society, most boys pursued the occupation of their fathers and women stayed at home to maintain the houshold. The wealthy elite might have private tutors, normally a slave. Access to schooling was wider during the Roman era, but still very limited. Egypt was conquered by the Arabs (7th century). We have little information about Arab schools. Egypt after the construction of the Suze Canal became a British protectorate (1882). As Egypt was not a colony, Egyptians retained responsibility for local government, including education. This mean there was still very limited public education through the first half of the 20th century. Egypt has made considerable progress in recent years to expand educational opportunity. One estimate suggests that as many as 95 percent of the school age children attend primary schools. Most of the children who do not, especially those who drop out are girls. Even so, the education of girls is much higer than ever before. Youth literacy rate have increased from from 61 percent in 1990 to about 85 percent in 2007. Resources are limited and the Government is unable to fund schools. The quality of state education is seen as relastively poor. Other problems include the wide-spread use of corporal punishment. The current Egyptian educational system is divided unto primary, intermediate and secondary schools. Elementary education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age. Graduates of the primary schools may attend either a general intermediate school, which prepares for a secondary education, or a technical intermediate school specializing in industrial and agricultural subjects. The secondary school system is similarly divided into general schools, with curricula designed to prepare students for a teriary education, either universities or technical schools. Only about 45 percent of the adult population is literate. Many women in particular are illiterate.

Ancient Egypt

Few children went to school in Egypt. Most boys followed their father's roles. As most Egyptians tilled the land, most boys became farmers, learning skills by working along side their fathers in the fields. The much smaller number of craftmen similaly learned their crafts at their fathers' sides. In Egypt's strictly statified society, most boys pursued the occupation of their fathers and women stayed at home to maintain the houshold. Government offices were also often passed from father to son. There were some schools in ancient Egypt, but only a few and very small number of children attended them. All the pupils were boys, mostly boys from the families of sdcribes and priests. In these schools boys learned to read and writes to become scribes and priests. The boys chosen were normally the sons of scribes and priests. Discipline was strict at these schools. An Egyptian school master explained that his approach to teaching, "The ear of a boy is on his back. He listens when he is beaten." [Stewart, p. 82.] I'm less sure about upper-class boys being trained to become warriors. The children of nobels were schooled at home by tutors, normally slaves.

Roman Era

Access to schooling was wider during the Roman era, but still very limited.

Arab Era

Egypt was conquered by the Arabs (7th century). The Arabs gradually Islamicized Egyptian soiety. Islam became the dominant religion, but Coptic Christains continued to be an important bminority. We have only some limited information about Arab schools. The Islamic educational heritage is basically a system of transmitting existing culture amnd was not designed to encourage children to question. This was not unlike Christian Europe at the time, but unlke Europe this did not change over time. A major event was the founding of Al-Azhar University mosque (972). This was earlier than the foundiung of the great European universities. Al-Azhar played a central role in shaping Egypt's religious, educational, and cultural life. The Islamic educational system began with the kuttabs (mosque or Quranic schools), the madrasas (religious schools), and the Sufi (mystical orders). The approach centered on memorization and recitation. This was the traditional methods for learning the Koran There was no room for experimentation, problem-solving analysis, or practical education. For devoted Muslims there was not need for such education. The Koran was seen as God's final and perfect relevation to humanity. Thus there was no real need for experimentation or problem solving. Problems were already solved in the Koran. This did not make much difference in the 10th century when Christians had essentislly the same outlook. It did begin to make a difference after the 13th century when Islamic religious scholars began to actively discourage science at the same time the Renaisance began to blosom in Europe. Similar religious trends developed throughout the Arab world. The use of Arabic helped to develop a sense of the common Arab nation in sharp contrast to the gradual development of nation states in Europe. Education through the 18th century the ulama (the learned Islamic elite, a community of legal scholars of Islam and the Sharia) and Coptic clergy controlled education in Egypt. There was no teaching of science and the growing body of scientific knowledge coming out of Europe. Egypt's major educational institutions were theological seminaries, but both mosques and churches without government support supported basic schools where boys could learn to read and write Arabic, to do basic math, and to memorize long passages from the Koran or Bible. Girls were excluded from these schools. The schools were most prevalent in the cities and towns, but also existed at the villsage level.

The Khedivate

Muhammad Ali, although appointed by the sultan to restanlish Ottomon control, proceeded to establish Egypt has a largely independent state. He is, as a result, regarded as the father of modern Egypt. Among the many reforms initiatd was promoting education and the study of medicine. He founded the modern Egyptian educational system. He introduced a secular, modern philosophy infused with western idedas and the teaching of the sciences. He reorganized the military schools of his grandfather. His objective was to provide technically proficient individuals for his civil administration and military. He founded founded a dual system of education. One was to serve the boys attending traditional Islamic schools (Kuttab) and another called Madrasa (Arabic word for school) for the elite civil servants. This is of course different than the way 'Madrasa' is used today. The Kuttab taught students the basics of reading and writing through memorizing and reciting Koranic verses with no tradition of questioning or experimentation, problem solving or learning-by-doing. The Madrasa offered a more modern educational approach. His grandson, Ismail, significantly expanded the system by creating a network of public schools at the primary, secondary, and higher levels. It was Ismail's wife who opened the first school for girls (1873). Tewfik Pasha (Muhammad Tewfik) (toufēk' päshä'), khedive of Egypt (1879-92) acceded to office when his father, Ismail Pasha, was deposed (1879). Tewfik accepted joint French-British control over the nation's finances. This provoked a nationalist uprising that did not depose Tewfik, but forced him to appoint a cabinet prepred to resist European encroachments. The British and the French forced the new cabinet to resign. Britain alarmed by renewed agitation, bombarded Alexandria and landed troops (1882). This was the beginning of the Protectgorate. Tewfik retained his position. He was generally Western in his outlook. The governming infrastructure of the Khedivate remained in place, although supervised by the British. Tewfik as Khedive devoted considerable attention to irrigation, educational and legal reforms. He did not intrigue against the British and believed the British could assist in the modernization of the country.In addition to secular schools. Islamic religious schools supported by the mosques continued to function. Tewfik was succeeded as khedive by his son Abbas II.

British Protectorate (1882-1922)

Egypt after the construction of the Suze Canal became one of the strategically most important countries in the world. The British as a result, established a protectorate (1882). As Egypt was not a colony, Egyptians retained responsibility for local government, including education. This meant there was still very limited public education through the first half of the 20th century. There is a tendency in the Arab world to blame problems on the relatively brief European colonial era. So we see comments like, "The British protectorate in Egypt left an exclusionary, state-controlled education system structured to serve elite (British) interests with little concern for the masses. The heritage was one of restricted opportunity, unenforced limited education (generally of poor quality), and higher education reserved mostly for the elite. Egyptians and non-English foreigners were left few options but to expand private and religious education." While in part factually correct, statements like this suggest that the British actively restricted educational oppoertunity. This is not the case. It is true that the state education system was not expanded to the rural poor. But it is also true that there were more modern schools when the Britisdh left than before. The British did not impede the Egyptian Government from building schools. This was a decesion taken by Egyptian authorities. Egypt's poor education system was primarily inherited from the khedicate, not created by the British. There were numerous private schools opened. This included Egypt's first secular university. The failure to expand the state education system related to Egypt's economic limitations and lack of interest on the part of Egyptian leaders and not on British policies. In addition, Islamic education continued virtually unchanged from medieval times. The British critics suggests thst they were responsible for expaning Islamic education. We are unsure about this. Perhaps our Egyptian readers will know more.

Independent Egypt (1922- )

Independent Egypt adopted a new constitution that proclaimed the state's responsibility to ensure adequate primary schools for all Egyptians. Even so, statecsecular education was not immediately expanded. Financing a significantly expsnded system was a major constraint. There was, however, some progress. Even so, education, especially quality education, remained mostly accessible to the elite. When the 1952 Revolution occurred, only about 50 percent of children attended primsary school and secondary enrllment was much less. The great majority of the school children were boys. This was not a matter of state policy, but rather parental choice. This resistance to educatig girls was particularky strong at the village level. Most adults were illiterate, over 75 percent, although this proprtion was declining. This proportion was so high because more than 90 percet of women were illiterate. Egypt has made considerable progress in recent years to expand educational opportunity. One estimate suggests that as many as 95 percent of the school age children attend primary schools. Most of the children who do not, especially those who drop out are girls. Even so, the education of girls is much higer than ever before. Youth literacy rate have increased from from 61 percent in 1990 to about 85 percent in 2007. Resources are limited and the Government is unable to fund schools. The quality of state education is seen as relastively poor. Other problems include the wide-spread use of corporal punishment. The current Egyptian educational system is divided unto primary, intermediate and secondary schools. Elementary education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age. Graduates of the primary schools may attend either a general intermediate school, which prepares for a secondary education, or a technical intermediate school specializing in industrial and agricultural subjects. The secondary school system is similarly divided into general schools, with curricula designed to prepare students for a teriary education, either universities or technical schools. Only about 45 percent of the adult population is literate. Many women in particular are illiterate. Egypt has undeniably expsanded educational opportunity. Progress in improving the quality of public education, however, is a very different matter.

Sources

Stewart, Doug. "Eternal Egypt," Smithsonian, date missing, pp. 74-84.






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Created: 4:47 AM 7/14/2009
Last updated: 2:45 AM 9/12/2010