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 Story of 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 EGYPT 
 
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 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2038 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 
 
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 https://archive.org/details/storyofeducationOOegyp 
 
Zhe Story 
 
 of 
 
 EDUCATION IN EGYPT 
 
 Published by 
 
 EMBASSY OF EGYPT 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
 1955 
 
THE STORY OF EDUCATION IN EGYPT 
 
 A Burdensome Legacy 
 
 When Egypt resumed the responsibilities for her own education in 
 1922, the year when she was declared an independent sovereign state, 
 after a forty years’ period of British occupation (1882-1922), she 
 was confronted with a burdensome legacy and faced with a great 
 challenge. It was not only a matter of a lamentably small num¬ 
 ber of schools with which she was left after the disastrous relapse 
 of occupation, a number that had to be rapidly increased, but the 
 fundamental basis itself of the whole educational structure was so 
 faulty that it had to be radically changed before Egypt could secure 
 for herself anything like a democratic and free society. 
 
 The guiding principle of education in Egypt under the British 
 control was simply to provide the administration with the necessary 
 number of employees and professionals who would preserve the status 
 quo in subservience to authority. Tuition fees were imposed at all 
 levels of education, which meant that the bureaucratic minority was 
 recruited from the financially able. Such a policy naturally led to a 
 two-fold result. On the one hand, education was never meant for its 
 own sake, and on the other hand, the nation was split into two classes: 
 rulers and ruled. 
 
 To make bad things worse, the elementary education for the peo¬ 
 ple at large was so neglected that the old-fashioned type of school, 
 poorly equipped, and concerned with memorizing unintelligently parts 
 of the Koran, rather than with real teaching, was left almost intact. And 
 backward as that elementary education was, it still was limited to a 
 mere 10% of the population. It is significant to notice that illiteracy 
 in Egypt in 1882 — the year when the British occupied Egypt — was 
 91%, and that the figure remained exactly the same for a full thirty 
 years of occupation, and was very little improved shortly before the 
 termination of British control in 1922. 
 
 Nor did the British in 1882 find Egypt an educational vacuum. 
 From the beginning of the 19th century, fundamentally as a result of 
 the impact of Europe, starting with the French expedition to Egypt 
 under Napoleon in 1798, Egypt began a modernizing effort in the field 
 of education. On the scene there had already been the age-honored 
 Al-Azhar, an institution first established in the tenth century, and 
 which had survived the vicissitudes of history since its foundation, 
 always remaining the illustrious center of learning in the whole 
 Islamic world. But by the nature of its concern with theology and 
 classics, it had lost touch by then with the current trends of thought 
 in the rest of the world. One of the most interesting points in modern 
 Egyptian history is that mental dichotomy. No sooner had Egypt 
 opened its doors to Western Culture at the turn of the 19th century 
 
 2 
 
than it realized how urgent the need was for a modern line of educa¬ 
 tion, to run parallel with the traditional culture centered at Al-Azhar. 
 The two parallel lines of culture—Western and Islamic—at first co¬ 
 existed in Egypt, then clashed, then formed an amalgamation which is 
 the specific and unique culture of Egypt today. 
 
 The point here is to show how, in the first half of the nineteenth 
 century, Egypt had a set of modern schools, including a number of 
 higher institutes at the university level—a school of medicine (1827), 
 a school of engineering (1820), and school of languages, etc. In addi¬ 
 tion to such local higher studies, a policy was adopted, which still 
 remains as part of the educational policy today, that distinguished stu¬ 
 dents in the various branches of learning should be sent abroad to get 
 more specialized training in their fields of study. It is worth noting 
 that these scholars, when returned home, were not only the technical 
 experts in their various fields, but also served as cultural media in the 
 wide sense of the word “culture.” It often happened that a man of 
 science concerned himself also with feeding the Arabic language with 
 whatever literary product he might have become interested in during 
 his stay abroad. By the middle of the last century, dozens of Euro¬ 
 pean literary masterpieces, especially French, were translated into 
 Arabic, to say nothing of scientific translations in all fields. It is no 
 exaggeration to describe the period of British occupation as a real 
 relapse in education. Educational progress was literally checked, 
 both in quantity and quality. 
 
 But, nevertheless, the educational regime in Egypt during the first 
 half of the last century had a grave setback. Here, again, education 
 was not meant for its own sake. The ultimate aim of the whole 
 regime was the building up of a strong army. Schools would be estab¬ 
 lished in accordance with the needs of the army. The army, for 
 instance, needed medical doctors and engineers, so a school of medi¬ 
 cine and a school of engineering had to be established. Then came 
 the secondary and primary schools, so planned as to feed those higher 
 schools with the required students both in number and subject-matter. 
 In other words, educational planning proceeded from the summit 
 down to the base. No wonder, therefore, that when the military 
 power of Egypt weakened later in the century, the sub-structure of 
 education naturally dwindled away. 
 
 A New Basis 
 
 When Egypt obtained her independence in 1922, and conse¬ 
 quently took over the control of education from the British hands, the 
 shortcomings of the situation were glaringly obvious. There were 
 three of major importance: 
 
 1) Illiteracy was almost 90%, and elementary education 
 facilities were limited to only 10% of the population; 
 
 3 
 
2) Primary and secondary education was the privilege of 
 the very few. There was a very small number of pri¬ 
 mary and secondary schools, all requiring tuition fees, 
 with no room for the able but needy. The whole ma¬ 
 chine was devised to produce government employees; 
 
 3) Although there existed a number of higher schools for 
 different branches of learning, there was no state univer¬ 
 sity where learning could be pursued for its own sake. 
 
 EXCERPTS FROM EDUCATION BUDGET 
 1. UNDER THE BRITISH OCCUPATION 
 
 Year 
 
 Budget , in Egyptian Pounds 
 
 1892 
 
 98,523 
 
 1902 
 
 132,314 
 
 1912 
 
 642,371 
 
 1920 
 
 1,256,540 = 2of the nationa' 
 budget 
 
 2. AFTER EGYPT’S INDEPENDENCE 
 
 Year 
 
 Budget, in Egyptian Pounds 
 
 1944-1945 
 
 10,646,873 
 
 1948-1949 
 
 20,894,279 
 
 1949-1950 
 
 26,346,810 
 
 1950-1951 
 
 31,721,865 = about 15% of the na¬ 
 tional budget 
 
 In 30 years of Egypt’s 
 
 free hand in controlling her own educa 
 
 tion, the education budget increased thirty-fold. 
 
 The need for a quick reform was urgent and reformers were ready 
 at hand. No longer was the basis of the educational structure to be 
 the provision of men for the army or of a staff for the government 
 offices. It was no tiling other than educating the people for the sake 
 of education. 
 
 It was at once stipulated in the 1923 constitution that school 
 attendance should be compulsory and free between the ages of 6 and 
 12. It was calculated that within one generation from then, illiteracy 
 would be practically wiped out. Although the plan has not material¬ 
 ized exactly according to the calculations, still the percentage of 
 illiteracy has decreased steadily and at a considerable rate. Schools 
 at the elementary stage were, at first, left divided into two categories: 
 1) elementary schools that were an end in themselves, where boys 
 and girls finished their schooling at the age of 12; 2) elementary 
 schools that were only means to other levels of education — primary 
 secondary and university. But it was soon found that such duality in 
 the system did not serve the requirements of a real democracy, viz.,, 
 equal opportunities for all, and a certain common sub-stratum of cul¬ 
 ture throughout the nation. 
 
 A new law, adopted in 1951 and amended in 1953, provided for 
 
 4 
 
the reorganization of elementary education (now called primary). 
 According to this law, among other things, all school curricula at the 
 first stage are to be the same, thus providing equal educational oppor¬ 
 tunities for all boys and girls. 
 
 At the age of 10, all primary school children are entitled to sit 
 for an examination. Those who pass the examination have the right to 
 join the preparatory school (equivalent to the junior high school in the 
 United States). The rest of the primary school children continue their 
 primary stage to its end, i.e., until the age of 12. 
 
 However, the door to more education is not completely closed 
 before the primary school graduates. They may continue their edu¬ 
 cation in a higher primary school (from 12 to 15). The programs in 
 the higher primary schools are highly flexible. They are adaptable to 
 special circumstances. They show a more marked agricultural ten¬ 
 dency in the countryside, and a more marked industrial or commercial 
 trend in the urban centers. Moreover, upon completing a higher pri¬ 
 mary course, the student may rejoin the educational stream that leads 
 to the university, particularly to Al-Azhar University. 
 
 To universalize primary education, 4,000 schools have to be built 
 in addition to old buildings which are to be replaced gradually. This 
 building program will cost about 30 million pounds (one pound equals 
 2.87 dollars). A plan has been already set for 300 new primary schools 
 to be built each year. 
 
 STATISTICS ON PRIMARY EDUCATION 
 (1953-1954) 
 
 5119 state schools have 1,131,679 children 
 2373 private schools have 306,786 children 
 Total 7492 primary schools 1,438,465 children 
 
 Literacy Campaign 
 
 Closely related to primary education is the vigorous campaign 
 for comba tin g illiteracy among the adults who missed compulsory 
 education in their childhood. A law for mass-education under the 
 supervision of the Ministry of Education was enacted in 1944. The 
 law organized the campaign against illiteracy beyond the primary 
 school age. All illiterate males between the ages of 12 and 45, and 
 all illiterate females between 12 and 15 were under obligation to 
 attend evening classes. 
 
 The campaign in 1951-1952 set a target of teaching 450,000 adult 
 illiterates. Up to the end of January 1952, 382,362 males and 58,149 
 females attended the literacy classes. The Ministry of Education 
 alone ran 3,364 sections, and other governmental agencies as well as 
 private organizations collaborated in the campaign. 
 
 But it was found that evening classes had to be shared by chil¬ 
 dren below 12 who could not attend the morning classes. The fact 
 
 5 
 
of the matter is that primary schools, as they are to date, cannot yet 
 cater to all the children between 6 and 12. This led to the adoption 
 of measures which were both preventive as well as curative. Curative 
 measures consisted of combating illiteracy among adults who had 
 already passed the primary school age, while preventive measures 
 consisted of educating the children between 6 and 12 who found no 
 room in the primary schools. Accordingly, the literacy course for 
 adults was cut down to one year, while a special two-year course was 
 designed for children who are still in the school age. 
 
 STATISTICS ON LITERACY CAMPAIGN IN THE 
 
 YEAR 1953-1954 
 
 1. SECTIONS RUN BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 
 
 Number of Number Attending 
 
 Group 
 
 Classes 
 
 Males 
 
 Females 
 
 Total 
 
 Adults paid for by 
 Ministry of Education 
 
 219 
 
 4,655 
 
 658 
 
 5,313 
 
 Adult workers paid 
 for by employers 
 
 1,524 
 
 47,436 
 
 566 
 
 48,002 
 
 Adults paid for by 
 beneficent groups 
 
 101 
 
 3,512 
 
 — 
 
 3,512 
 
 School-age children 
 with no room in the 
 day schools 
 
 872 
 
 17,938 
 
 10,211 
 
 28,149 
 
 TOTAL 
 
 2,716 
 
 73,541 
 
 11,435 
 
 84,976 
 
 SECTIONS RUN BY MILITARY FORCES AND PRISON DEPARTMENT 
 
 Number of Number Attending 
 
 Group 
 
 Classes 
 
 Males 
 
 Females 
 
 Total 
 
 Prisoners 
 
 237 
 
 6,764 
 
 58 
 
 6,822 
 
 Army 
 
 790 
 
 22,119 
 
 — 
 
 22,119 
 
 Navy 
 
 44 
 
 1,101 
 
 — 
 
 1,101 
 
 Coast Guard 
 
 — 
 
 150 
 
 — 
 
 150 
 
 TOTAL 
 
 1,072 
 
 30,134 
 
 58 
 
 30,192 
 
 A Varied Secondary School Education 
 
 The secondary school course, six years long (from 10 to 16), is 
 divided into two stages of three years each: 1) the prepartory school, 
 and 2) the general secondary school (equivalent to junior and senior 
 high schools in the United States). 
 
 The Preparatory School 
 
 At the age of 10, the required number of boys and girls for 
 secondary education is selected from among the pupils of the primary 
 schools at that age, with no discrimination whatsoever except their 
 ability, as revealed in a competitive examination. To give a full chance 
 to every contestant, a pupil who fails to distinguish himself or herself 
 the first time is allowed to sit again for another examination provided 
 his or her age does not exceed 12. Thus equality in educational 
 opportunity is safeguarded. 
 
 6 
 
The preparatory school is free. It is supposed to be an inter¬ 
 mediary stage between the primary and the general secondary where 
 preliminary specialization of study begins. 
 
 The curriculum at the preparatory school is meant to produce a 
 good citizen with a special stress on the national culture. However, 
 it is at this stage that a pupil begins to learn his first foreign language 
 (English or French). A Certificate of Preparatory Studies is given 
 to those who have successfully completed their preparatory school 
 course. Such a certificate entitles one to continue one’s secondary 
 educatioon: 
 
 There are three categories of secondary schools: 
 
 a) The general secondary school, specializing in theoretical stud¬ 
 ies. In this school the first year is given to a general program com¬ 
 prising both scientific studies and the humanities. For the following 
 two years the course is subdivided into two sections, one of which the 
 student has to choose according to his aptitudes, scientific and literary. 
 This specialization paves the way to the kind of study the student will 
 pursue in the university. 
 
 b) Technical secondary school , which is one of three kinds—agri¬ 
 cultural, commercial or industrial. 
 
 c) Secondary school for girls (besides their being eligible for the 
 general secondary school), which has a curriculum stressing domestic 
 science or certain crafts such as dress-making, etc. This education is 
 aimed at producing enlightened housewives. 
 
 Education in the three categories of secondary schools, as indi¬ 
 cated above, is free. Now a word in more detail about each category. 
 
 General Secondary Schools 
 
 A general secondary school is chiefly for theoretical studies that 
 lead to the corresponding sections within the university. It is a 
 three-year course, the first year of which is given to general studies 
 so as to serve as a continuation of the preceding stage in the Prepara¬ 
 tory School. In the remaining two years, students are subdivided into 
 two main lines of specialization: 1) literary, and 2) scientific. It is 
 left to the student himself to choose whichever branch of specialization 
 he likes since on his choice here depends that section of the university 
 he intends to join. However, students are advised to pursue studies 
 that are more suitable to their aptitudes as shown in their grades in 
 the Preparatory School Certificate. 
 
 Since education at this stage is also free, and since the state 
 budget cannot accommodate all possible candidates, the selection of 
 those eligible to such a theoretical course is based on ability alone. A 
 student is given a chance of two failures during the secondary course. 
 Students who fail to prove capable of the theoretical study in these 
 schools have to leave to make room for others. Nevertheless, the 
 
 7 
 
chance of education is not lost forever to those failures. They may 
 still try their luck in private schools, which charge tuition. 
 
 Technical Secondary Schools 
 
 A student may prefer a technical education to the theoretical kind 
 found in the general secondary schools and which usually leads to the 
 colleges of liberal arts and sciences in the university. This technical 
 education may either be an end in itself, or, if the student prefers, may 
 lead to one of the technical colleges in the university. 
 
 The aim of this kind of secondary school is to create a class of 
 technicians who stand halfway between the ordinary workers and the 
 highly qualified university graduates. These technical secondary 
 schools for industry, agriculture and commerce are primarily meant to 
 meet the vast economic needs of a country which is rapidly expanding 
 in these areas. 
 
 Secondary Schools for Girls 
 
 While girls share with boys the same schools at every stage, there 
 are certain schools particularly devised for girls alone. These schools 
 are more or less vocational, teaching subjects specifically feminine. 
 Girls’ Education 
 
 It seems appropriate at this juncture to digress a little and make 
 a quick survey of the enormous progress in girls’ education in Egypt 
 in the last few decades. 
 
 At the beginning of this century, there were only two state pri¬ 
 mary schools for girls, and no secondary schools at all. In 1922 there 
 were only four primary schools for girls with 901 students. There 
 was still no secondary school, but there was one school for women 
 teachers with 129 students. Compare this with the following figures 
 about girls’ education in the state schools alone in the year 1953-1954. 
 (Private schools have about 25% of the enrollment of state schools.) 
 
 Kind of School 
 
 Number of 
 Schools 
 
 Number of Girls 
 
 Primary 
 
 830 
 
 244,757 
 
 Higher Primary 
 
 11 
 
 858 
 
 Preparatory 
 
 76 
 
 30,239 
 
 Secondary, general 
 
 33 
 
 20,414 
 
 Domestic Science 
 
 25 
 
 5,076 
 
 Secondary, commerce 
 
 3 
 
 898 
 
 Girls Colleges 
 
 2 
 
 700 
 
 General training colleges 
 
 39 
 
 10,463 
 
 for women 
 
 Cairo University 
 
 
 2,010 
 
 Heliopolis University 
 
 
 1,811 
 
 Alexandria University 
 
 
 763 
 
 Special training colleges 
 
 5 
 
 668 
 
 for women 
 
 Total 
 
 
 318,659 
 
 (Both the General and Special colleges are for primary school teach¬ 
 
 ers at different levels.) 
 
 8 
 
The following are the different institutes for girls, some of which 
 are higher schools at the college level; others are only on a secondary 
 school level. The list shows how varied are the branches of study 
 now open to Egyptian girls. This is all in addition to the general 
 stream of education in which girls and boys share the same courses. 
 
 1. Schools for Domestic Science, providing vocational training. 
 They are five-year courses. The first two years are devoted to general 
 studies, and the last three are spent in special training in domestic 
 science, needlework, music or art, thus qualifying girls for the higher 
 institutes of these various fields. Of this type of school there are 
 (1953-1954) 25 schools in the country, with 5,076 students. 
 
 2. Secondary Schools of Commerce for Gerls. The course 
 covers five years, the first two of which are devoted to general studies; 
 the last three are for special training in business. In 1953-1954 there 
 were three such schools, with 898 students. 
 
 3. Girls’ Colleges. There are two colleges exclusively for girls, 
 one in Cairo, the other in Alexandria. These colleges give broad gen¬ 
 eral courses in cultural subjects to girls who do not want any voca¬ 
 tional training. There is special stress on social sciences, languages 
 and domestic science. Seven hundred girls (1953-1954) attend these 
 two colleges. 
 
 4. Advanced Institute for Social Health Visitors. This school 
 offers a three-year course, after a student has received the secondary 
 school certificate. Girls are trained for working in hospitals and 
 health centers. 
 
 5. Domestic Science (and Needlework) Institute. This school 
 offers a three-year course, after the secondary school certificate, with 
 an extra year’s training for prospective teachers of these subjects. 
 
 6. Fine Arts Institute. This school offers a three-year course 
 after the secondary school certificate, with an extra year’s training for 
 prospective teachers of art. 
 
 7. The Higher Institute of Music. This institute consists of 
 two sections: 1) the higher section, which offers a four-year course, 
 after the secondary school certificate; 2) the secondary section, a five- 
 year course, following the primary school level. 
 
 8. Institute of Physical Culture. This Institute consists of 
 two sections, Higher and Secondary. Each is a four-year course. The 
 former is for students holding the secondary school certificate and 
 the latter is for the primary school graduates. 
 
 9. Institute of Social Service. This institute trains experts in 
 the field of social work, in a four-year course, after completing the 
 secondary school work. 
 
 10. Teachers’ Training Institutes. These are on two levels, 
 
 9 
 
higher and secondary. Of these two categories there are 44 in all 
 (1953-1954) with 11,131 girls. Besides these, there are Institutes of 
 Education for girls, annexed to the universities at Cairo and Alexan¬ 
 dria, for the would-be teachers from among the university graduates. 
 
 11. Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts. This Institute offers 
 a four-year course, after receiving the secondary school certificate. 
 Girls are given monthly awards, in return for which they have to 
 undertake to perform in a theatre designated by the Institute authori¬ 
 ties for two years after graduation. The aim is, of course, to raise the 
 level of the dramatic arts, including acting, singing, etc. 
 
 STATISTICS ON SECONDARY EDUCATION 
 IN EGYPT (1953-1954) 
 
 Boys’ Secondary Schools 419 286,356 
 
 (Preparatory and General) 
 
 Girls’ Secondary Schools 176 75,294 
 
 (Preparatory and General) 
 
 Boys’ Technical Secondary Schools 58 19,890 
 
 (Commerce, Industry, Agriculture) 
 
 Girls’ Technical Secondary Schools 27 7,239 
 
 (Domestic Science, Commerce) 
 
 TOTAL 280 388,779 
 
 Cairo University 
 
 Although there had been in Egypt since the first decades of the 
 19th century higher institutes teaching various branches of learning at 
 the university level, still a university in the full and comprehensive 
 sense of the word was established, on modern lines, for the first time 
 in 1908. The ten-century-old Al-Azhar university is being excluded, 
 and will be dealt with later on. 
 
 It was both curious and significant that the British during their 
 occupation of Egypt made it a principle that no university should 
 exist. Higher schools producing government employees were all they 
 thought necessary. But despite this deliberately-planned impediment, 
 the people felt the need for a university where the spirit of free re¬ 
 search could develop. To this end, a group of distinguished Egyptians 
 in 1906 discussed the possibility of establishing a national university in 
 Cairo, for which project contributions were received from all quarters. 
 In December 1908, the National University was inaugurated. 
 
 As soon as the control of education in Egypt was passed to the 
 Egyptians themselves, first and foremost among other educational re¬ 
 forms was the conversion, in 1925, of the National University into a 
 State University, to comprise the higher schools then existent, and 
 raise them to the required level. 
 
 Following are the different schools and departments of Cairo 
 University, together with the degrees available in each. This detailed 
 list can serve as a prototype, essentially, of the other universities. 
 
 10 
 
Faculty of Arts 
 
 (Departments) 
 
 1. Department of Arabic and Oriental Languages 
 
 2. Department of European Languages, including: 
 
 a. Sub-Department of English Language and Literature 
 
 b. Sub-Department of French Language and Literature 
 
 c. Sub-Department of Classics 
 
 3. Department of History 
 
 4. Department of Geography 
 
 5. Department of Philosophical Studies, including: 
 
 a. Sub-Department of Philosophy 
 
 b. Sub-Department of Sociology 
 (Institutes) 
 
 1. The Institute of Archaeology, including: 
 
 a. The Department of Egyptian Archaeology 
 
 b. The Department of Islamic Archaeology 
 
 2. The Department of Oriental Languages and Literature, in¬ 
 cluding: 
 
 a. The Sub-Department of Semitic Languages 
 
 b. The Sub-Department of Islamic National Languages 
 
 c. The Sub-Department of Arabic Dialects 
 
 3. The Institute of Journalism and Translation 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of B.A., M.A., Ph.D., the Diploma of Archae¬ 
 ology, the Diploma of the Institute of Oriental Languages and Literature, and the 
 Diploma of the Institute of Journalism and Translation. 
 
 Faculty of Science 
 
 1. Department of Pure Mathematics 
 
 2. Department of Applied Mathematics 
 
 3. Department of Astronomy 
 
 4. Department of Physics 
 
 5. Department of Chemistry 
 
 6. Department of Botany 
 
 7. Department of Zoology 
 
 8. Department of Entomology 
 
 9. Department of Geology 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of B.S. (General and Special Courses), M.S., 
 Ph.D., D.S., and Diplomas of Higher Studies in Science, in the fields of Meteor¬ 
 ology, Geophysics, Economic Geology, Electro-Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, 
 Mathematical Statistics and Entomology. 
 
 Faculty of Medicine 
 
 The School of Medicine awards the degrees and diplomas of Bachelor of 
 Medicine and Surgery, Doctor of Medicine, Master of Surgery and Diplomas in 
 various areas of specialization. 
 
 The Cairo Institute for Health and Tropical Medicine confers two 
 
 11 
 
diplomas: Diploma of Public Health, and Diploma of Tropical 
 Medicine. 
 
 The School of Dental Surgery awards the Degree of Bachelor of 
 Pharmacy, Master of Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy, and a specialized 
 diploma of Food, Drug or Biochemical Analysis. 
 
 Faculty of Law 
 
 1. Department of “Licence” Course 
 
 2. Department of Higher Studies 
 
 3. Institute of Criminal Studies 
 
 4. Institute of Economic Studies 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of “Licence en Droit” or LL.B., Diplomas 
 of Higher Studies in Private Law, Public Law, Political Economy, Islamic Law, the 
 Degree of Doctor of Law, Diploma of Criminal Science from the Institute of 
 Criminal Studies, and Diploma of the Institute of Economic Studies. 
 
 Faculty of Engineering 
 
 1. Department of Civil Engineering 
 
 2. Department of Architecture 
 
 3. Department of Mechanical Engineering 
 
 4. Department of Electrical Engineering 
 
 5. Department of Chemical Engineering 
 
 6. Department of Mining Engineering 
 
 7. Department of Petroleum Engineering 
 
 The Faculty awards the Bachelor’s Degree in any of the above-mentioned 
 branches, the Master’s Degree in Architecture or Engineering, Ph.D. Degree and 
 Diplomas of Higher Studies in Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. 
 
 Faculty of Commerce 
 
 1. Department of Bachelor of Commerce Course 
 
 2. Department of Higher Studies 
 
 3. Institute of Statistics 
 
 4. Institute of Taxation 
 
 5. Institute of Insurance 
 
 6. Institute of Accounting 
 
 7. Institute of Political Science 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of Bachelor of Commerce, and Master of 
 Commerce and the Diplomas of the Institute of Statistics and Institute of Taxation. 
 
 Faculty of Agriculture 
 
 1. Department of Agricultural Economics 
 
 2. Department of Dairying 
 
 3. Department of Horticulture 
 
 4. Department of Agricultural Bacteriology 
 
 5. Department of Animal Breeding 
 
 6. Department of Entomology 
 
 7. Department of Genetics 
 
 8. Department of Agriculture 
 
 9. Department of Food Technology 
 
 12 
 
10. Department of Agricultural Chemistry 
 
 11. Department of Botany 
 
 12. Department of Farm Engineering 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of Bachelor of Agriculture, Master of Agri¬ 
 culture and Ph.D. 
 
 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and 
 Surgery, Master of Veterinary Surgery, and Doctor of Veterinary Science. 
 
 Faculty of Dar El-Ulum (Arabic Studies) 
 
 The Faculty awards the degrees of B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in Arabic Language 
 and Literature and Islamic Studies. 
 
 The Astronomical Institute 
 
 The Institute trains specialists in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Geo¬ 
 physics, Meteorology and in kindred sciences. 
 
 The Oceanographic Institute 
 
 The Institute trains specialists in Marine Biology, Fresh Water 
 Biology, Physical Oceanography, Marine Biological Physiology, and 
 in kindred sciences. 
 
 There are other Institutes for Political Science, Libraries and 
 Sudan Affairs. 
 
 The Cairo University Library 
 
 The Cairo University Library is composed of a central library plus 
 twelve departmental libraries which are to be found in the different 
 schools and institutes of the University. The total number of books 
 in the departmental libraries together with those in the Central Library 
 is 362,000 volumes. 
 
 The University City 
 
 In 1945 measures were taken to start establishing a University 
 City in the vicinity of the campus at Giza. A committee was set up 
 to collect contributions and donations. Very soon afterward the work 
 began, and although it is still in progress, the parts finished are already 
 used. It is estimated that the city will eventually cover about twenty 
 acres of land, on which the following buildings will stand, in addition 
 to a number of playing fields: 
 
 6 buildings, each accommodating 300 students 
 
 1 building for women students 
 
 1 restaurant accommodating 1,500 students 
 
 1 building for the clubs and the library 
 
 1 building containing both a mosque and a residence for the 
 City Director 
 
 1 building for the administration and the auditorium 
 
 1 building for social activities and an assembly room 
 
 13 
 
The University Press 
 
 The University Press began in 1945. Theses, bulletins, scientific 
 papers, etc., are continually issued by it. 
 
 At present it consists of six departments: the technical depart¬ 
 ment, the composing department, the printing department, the stereo¬ 
 type shop, the binding department and the proof-reading department. 
 The workshops are equipped with modern printing, photographic en¬ 
 graving, cutting and gilding machines. 
 
 Museums of the University 
 
 The Museum of the Faculty of Arts houses some of the antiquities 
 discovered in the course of the excavations by Cairo University as well 
 as others lent by the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. 
 
 These antiquities, even though they are only the nucleus for 
 further development, are of great importance as they are especially 
 chosen for purposes of study. Most important amongst the antiquities 
 lent by the Egyptian Museum is a collection representing the develop¬ 
 ment of the various kinds and forms of pottery during the pre-dynastic 
 period. The finds from the excavations at Maadi include a collection 
 of flint tools. Contributions from the area around the Pyramids at 
 Giza include several statues, tables for propitiatory offerings, and 
 marble vessels of the Old Kingdom. By far the largest and most im¬ 
 portant collection in the Museum comes from the excavations of the 
 University at Tuna-el-Gabal. 
 
 The Museum of Muslim Archaeology was opened in 1945. It 
 contains collections of valuable objects including carpets, pottery, 
 bronze and brass utensils, glass, leatherware, tapestries, marble stones 
 with inscriptions and decorations of the Turkish period, documents, 
 gilded manuscripts, porcelain articles, textiles and woodwork. 
 
 TABLE OF MEN AND WOMEN STUDENTS AT CAIRO UNIVERSITY 
 
 REGISTERED IN THE VARIOUS FACULTIES AND INSTITUTES 
 
 1953-1954 
 
 Faculties and Institutes 
 
 Men 
 
 Number of Students 
 Women 
 
 Total 
 
 (Faculties) 
 
 Engineering 
 
 2,303 
 
 7 
 
 2,310 
 
 Science 
 
 769 
 
 140 
 
 909 
 
 Agriculture 
 
 1,677 
 
 153 
 
 1,830 
 
 Medicine 
 
 3,328 
 
 508 
 
 3,836 
 
 Veterinary Medicine 
 
 475 
 
 29 
 
 504 
 
 Arts 
 
 1,719 
 
 695 
 
 2,414 
 
 Commerce 
 
 3,268 
 
 219 
 
 3,487 
 
 Law 
 
 4,207 
 
 288 
 
 4,495 
 
 Dar El-Ulum 
 
 953 
 
 33 
 
 986 
 
 Total 
 
 18,699 
 
 2,072 
 
 20,771 
 
 14 
 
(Institutes) 
 
 Political Science 
 
 416 
 
 16 
 
 432 
 
 Documentation and 
 
 
 
 
 Libraries 
 
 320 
 
 12 
 
 332 
 
 Sudan Institute 
 
 76 
 
 13 
 
 89 
 
 Meteorology 
 
 7 
 
 — 
 
 7 
 
 Total 
 
 819 
 
 41 
 
 860 
 
 Combined Faculties and 
 
 
 
 Institutes — Total 
 
 19,518 
 
 2,113 
 
 21,631 
 
 Alexandria University 
 
 When writing about the University of Alexandria today, one 
 cannot help mentioning the ancient University of Alexandria, glorious 
 in the days of the Ptolemies and after. 
 
 Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in the year 332 B.C., 
 soon became the seat of learning in the whole area of the eastern 
 Mediterranean, which actually meant the seat of learning in the whole 
 world. Scholars and scientists headed for it from all parts of the 
 world. From 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. the most distinguished scientists 
 were teachers at Alexandria. Men like Euclid, Strabo, Ptolemy and 
 many others made valuable contributions to the scientific knowledge 
 in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, geography and medicine. 
 
 Under the Romans, Alexandria was one of the most active 
 centers in science, literature, art, and, above all, religion. Alexandria, 
 not Rome, was the center of religious thought, and the creator of 
 Christian theology. Suffice it to say that Clement and Origen, the 
 fathers of Christian theology, were Alexandrians. The whole neo- 
 Platonic school under Plotinus, a school which had the greatest effect 
 on early Christian thought, was an exclusively Alexandrian school 
 of thought. 
 
 Nor did Alexandria cease to be an important center of learning 
 after the early Christian era. With Islam, it resumed its prominence 
 in the development of the new civilization. Eminent translators into 
 Arabic, among whom was the famous Hunein Ibn Ishak, visited 
 Alexandria in the 9th and 10th centuries to study Greek and to trans¬ 
 late the rich heritage of the ancient world. It was through these 
 translations that Europe later came to be first acquainted with Greek 
 thought. 
 
 With this rich cultural background, the modern Alexandria Uni¬ 
 versity was established in 1942. It contains Faculties of Arts, Law, 
 Medicine, Science, Engineering, Agriculture and Commerce. 
 
 Departments and degrees are more or less similar to those in Cairo 
 University (see above.) However, the following are some special 
 features of Alexandria University. 
 
 Archaeologoical Museum 
 
 This Museum contains representative collections of the various 
 
 15 
 
phases of Egyptian civilization throughout the ages. The collections 
 were either purchased, presented by individual collectors, or acquired 
 by the staff during expeditions, conducted in different parts of the 
 country. With its collections from prehistoric, Pharaonic, Graeco- 
 Roman, Coptic and Islamic periods, the Museum gives a clear picture 
 of Egypt’s civilization in its successive stages. 
 
 The Geographical Museum 
 
 This Museum contains a large collection of prehistoric flint instru¬ 
 ments acquired from Sinai, Fayum and other Egyptian sites, as well 
 as a collection of rocks gathered from Egypt and other countries and 
 used for illustration. 
 
 Oceanography 
 
 The University established, in 1948, a post-graduate course in 
 Oceanography in the School of Science. It is a two-year course, 
 leading to a diploma in Oceanography. 
 
 The University Library 
 
 The University Library consists of the Central Library, the libra¬ 
 ries of the seven Faculties and the library of the Institute of Chemical 
 Technology. 
 
 The Central Library has gradually grown since its establishment 
 to such an extent that it now comprises 107,538 volumes on arts and 
 science, including those stocked in the libraries of the seven Faculties, 
 68,255 volumes being in European languages, while the other 35,283 
 volumes are in Arabic and other Oriental languages. The Library has 
 been augmented from time to time by the addition of several collec¬ 
 tions received as gifts or acquired by purchase. 
 
 The Library has acquired more than 900 manuscripts in Arabic 
 and European languages. The greater part of these manuscripts deal 
 with history, literature, Islamic science, music, astrology and theology. 
 Some of them go back to the 11th century. 
 
 In 1950 the Library took part with members of the Egyptian- 
 American mission in microfilming the valuable manuscripts of the 
 Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai. 
 
 Students’ Hostels 
 
 The University has two hostels, one for men students and another 
 for women students. The accommodation in both hostels is comfort¬ 
 able and the terms are moderate. The charge is 6 Egyptian pounds 
 (about $18) per month for board and residence including breakfast, 
 lunch and dinner. 
 
 All students are eligible for admission, preference being given to 
 applicants whose families live outside Alexandria. Each hostel is 
 managed by a warden, and both hostels come under the control of a 
 Hostels’ Committee appointed by the University. A students’ house 
 
 16 
 
committee is elected annually in each hostel and is largely responsible 
 for the social activities of the resident students. 
 
 TABLE OF MEN AND WOMEN STUDENTS AT ALEXANDRIA UNIVERSITY 
 REGISTERED IN THE VARIOUS FACULTIES AND INSTITUTES 
 
 1953-1954 
 
 Number of Students 
 
 Faculties and Institutes 
 
 Men 
 
 Women 
 
 Total 
 
 (Faculties) 
 
 Faculty of Arts 
 
 1,211 
 
 325 
 
 1,536 
 
 Faculty of Law 
 
 1,899 
 
 88 
 
 1,987 
 
 Faculty of Medicine 
 
 1,302 
 
 151 
 
 1,453 
 
 Faculty of Science 
 
 518 
 
 47 
 
 565 
 
 Faculty of Engineering 
 
 1,363 
 
 1 
 
 1,364 
 
 Faculty of Engineering 
 
 (Chemical Dept.) 
 
 94 
 
 2 
 
 96 
 
 Faculty of Agriculture 
 
 313 
 
 27 
 
 340 
 
 Faculty of Commerce 
 
 1,747 
 
 99 
 
 1,846 
 
 Total 
 
 8,447 
 
 740 
 
 9,187 
 
 (Institutes) 
 
 Institute of Social Sciences 18 
 
 3 
 
 21 
 
 Institute of Oceanography 13 
 
 — 
 
 13 
 
 Institute of Taxation 
 
 399 
 
 4 
 
 403 
 
 Total 
 
 430 
 
 7 
 
 437 
 
 Combined Faculties and 
 
 Institutes — Total 
 
 8,877 
 
 747 
 
 9,624 
 
 Heliopolis University, Cairo 
 
 This University was established in 1950 on lines more or less simi¬ 
 lar to Cairo and Alexandria Universities. The Higher Institutes of 
 Education in Cairo, both for men and women, belong to this Uni¬ 
 versity. 
 
 TABLE OF MEN AND WOMEN STUDENTS AT HELIOPOLIS UNIVERSITY 
 REGISTERED IN THE VARIOUS FACULTIES AND INSTITUTES 
 
 1953-1954 
 
 Number of Students 
 
 Faculties and Institutes 
 (Faculties) 
 
 Men 
 
 Women 
 
 Total 
 
 Engineering 
 
 2,015 
 
 7 
 
 2,022 
 
 Science 
 
 441 
 
 85 
 
 526 
 
 Agriculture 
 
 255 
 
 — 
 
 255 
 
 Medicine 
 
 1,545 
 
 191 
 
 1,736 
 
 Arts 
 
 980 
 
 312 
 
 1,292 
 
 Commerce 
 
 3,564 
 
 233 
 
 3,797 
 
 Law 
 
 4,944 
 
 276 
 
 5,220 
 
 Total 
 
 (Institutes) 
 
 Institute of Education 
 
 13,744 
 
 1,104 
 
 14,848 
 
 for Men 
 
 Institute of Education 
 
 485 
 
 *— 
 
 485 
 
 for Women 
 
 .— 
 
 706 
 
 706 
 
 Total 
 
 T otal—General 
 
 485 
 
 706 
 
 1,191 
 
 16,039 
 
 17 
 
Al-Azliar University 
 
 Now we come to that unique institution, which Egypt has been 
 privileged to claim for over one thousand years. It may well be the 
 oldest university in the world, and it carries with it the traditions of 
 long centuries. 
 
 Like all the medieval universities, it started as a mosque to serve 
 for both worship and learning. It was founded in the year 972 imme¬ 
 diately after the building of Cairo by the founder of the Fatimid 
 dynasty. 
 
 Learning in Al-Azhar has gone, until very recently, according 
 to methods well known among the ancient Greeks, e.g., in Plato’s 
 Academy or Aristotle’s Lyceum. The method is that of free discussion 
 about a certain point between the professor on the one hand and the 
 students on the other. Traditionally, in Al-Azhar, the professor would 
 sit on a comparatively high seat, surrounded by his students. The 
 exchange of discussion and commentaries between the professor and 
 the students was certainly meant, besides analyzing the subject under 
 discussion, to develop the students’ argumentative powers. It is a 
 small wonder, therefore, that Al-Azhar produced, throughout the ages, 
 practically all leading thinkers in the Moslem world in general, and in 
 Egypt in particular. Nor is it curious that whenever a despot ruled, 
 or a foreign invader predominated, it was Al-Azhar that was first 
 persecuted. So Al-Azhar often has played a role in the political life 
 of the country. 
 
 In its original form, i.e., before the recent reforms of the 1930’s, 
 no condition of admission was imposed on the student joining Al- 
 Azhar. A student was left to choose his own subject as well as the 
 professor whose discussions of that subject he wanted to attend. 
 Moreover, a student was allowed to remain at Al-Azhar as long as he 
 liked. If a student meant to become, himself, a lecturer at Al-Azhar, 
 he had to secure the permission of his professor. Having achieved 
 this, the new lecturer would form his own circle of students. It was 
 entirely the judgments of those students that decided the new pro¬ 
 fessor’s career. If they found him convincing and capable, the stu¬ 
 dents would continue to attend and the circle would, perhaps, increase; 
 in which case the man would be formally offered the licence to teach. 
 But in case he failed to prove able, no students would gather around 
 him, and hence no licence to teach was offered and an end came to 
 his hoped-for career. Throughout the Middle Ages, naturally, the 
 main subject was theology. With theology went a group of studies 
 that were usually considered necessary adjuncts, such as language, 
 logic, mathematics, and history. 
 
 Present System of Education in Al-Azhar 
 
 In 1930 a new law was passed in order to re-organize Al-Azhar on 
 
 18 
 
modern lines. Thus reformed, it has its own system of primary and 
 secondary schools, that go parallel to the general system of the State 
 schools, except that the Al-Azhar-afBliated schools lay much more stress 
 on language and religion and their relevant subjects. The system has 
 for its peak three colleges: 1) The College of Canon Law; 2) The 
 College of Theology; 3) The College of Arabic Language. 
 
 Together with the radical changes in both subject matter and 
 method of teaching, a scheme was planned for the creation of modem 
 establishments to contain all the higher colleges of Al-Azhar on one 
 campus. On the Azharite campus, as recently reformed, there exist 
 an auditorium accommodating 2,000 people, a library with a printing 
 press, and a university hospital. 
 
 The study of foreign languages (including English, French, 
 Hebrew, Persian, Chinese and Turkish) was introduced in the cur¬ 
 ricula of the three colleges of Al-Azhar, to meet the increasing demand 
 of Moslem communities in non-Arab countries for Azharites to teach 
 them the Islamic jurisprudence. 
 
 Like other Egyptian universities, Al-Azhar is independent, and its 
 Rector is the Chairman of the Board. 
 
 TABLE OF STUDENTS IN THE COLLEGES AND 
 INSTITUTES OF AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY 
 
 Colleges 
 
 
 Institutes 
 
 
 Jurisprudence 
 
 1,512 
 
 General Section 
 
 3,092 
 
 Theology 
 
 570 
 
 Institutes Affiliated 
 
 20,363 
 
 Arabic Language 
 
 1,948 
 
 Institutes under 
 
 
 Total 
 
 4,030 
 
 Supervision of 
 Al-Azhar 
 
 4,853 
 
 
 
 Other Institutes 
 
 401 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 28,709 
 
 Total of Combined Colleges and Institutes 
 
 32,739 
 
 The Institute of Public Culture 
 
 One of the most successful educational projects in Egypt is an 
 Institute for Public Culture, or, as it was originally called, The 
 People’s University. It is an institute devised for all levels of educa¬ 
 tion. The aim is to raise the standard of knowledge and skill among 
 the adult literate population. Its programs offer a very wide variety, 
 especially in practical subjects and vocational guidance. It was estab¬ 
 lished in 1946 with two centers only—one in Cairo and the other in 
 Alexandria. But no sooner had it started than a wide demand for more 
 such centers manifested itself in different parts of the country. In 
 1953-1954 there were 18 institutes of this type. 
 
 No qualifications whatsoever are required of an applicant. The 
 total number of students in these institutes in 1953-1954 was 18,196, of 
 whom 880 were university graduates, 8,000 had secondary school cer¬ 
 tificates, and the rest were without any qualifying certificates at all, 
 except that they were literate. 
 
 19 
 
Whenever a group of people expressed a desire to learn a special 
 subject, a section would at once be added to the Institute in that 
 locality. However, there are fundamental sections that are perma¬ 
 nently ready to receive students. Among them are the following: 
 
 1. Classes for foreign languages, especially English, French, 
 German and Italian, besides the Arabic language which is 
 also taught. Many foreigners resident in Egypt join these 
 classes in Arabic. 
 
 2. Classes for studying bookkeeping, typing and other subjects 
 connected with secretarial work. 
 
 3. Classes for studying art, including music, dramatic art, paint¬ 
 ing, photography, sculpture and needlework. 
 
 4. Classes in domestic science for women, including dressmaking 
 and nursing. 
 
 5. Classes in journalism. 
 
 6. Workshops for teaching crafts and practical skills, such as 
 watchmaking, electric appliance repair, motor mechanics, 
 carpentry, etc. 
 
 7. Classes in the liberal arts, such as literature and history, etc. 
 
 INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC CULTURE 
 TABLE OF MEN AND WOMEN ATTENDING 
 
 Kind of Study 
 
 Men 
 
 Women 
 
 Total 
 
 Languages 
 
 3,370 
 
 1,170 
 
 4,549 
 
 Domestic Science 
 
 — 
 
 4,065 
 
 4,065 
 
 Business Courses 
 
 1,837 
 
 129 
 
 1,966 
 
 Art 
 
 1,283 
 
 637 
 
 1,920 
 
 Industry 
 
 1,250 
 
 — 
 
 1,250 
 
 Minor Crafts 
 
 3,422 
 
 — 
 
 3,422 
 
 Liberal Arts 
 
 472 
 
 552 
 
 1,024 
 
 Total 
 
 11,634 
 
 6,562 
 
 18,196 
 
 Educating the Handicapped 
 
 Physically handicapped children are being cared for. At first, 
 the Ministry of Education encouraged private schools for the deaf, 
 dumb or blind children. But when private schools were found to be 
 inadequate, the Ministry of Education opened State schools for such 
 children. There are about 10 schools for the blind, where the latest 
 methods for teaching the blind are used. Four schools are open to 
 the deaf and dumb. 
 
 Extra-Curricular Activities in the School Program 
 
 While many of the schools have their individually planned pro¬ 
 grams of extra-curricular activities, there is also a section of the 
 Ministry of Education responsible for coordinating programs and 
 pooling resources. Special stress is given to the secondary school 
 students. 
 
 20 
 
Camps. In the mid-year vacation pupils are taken to camp in the 
 ancient towns of Luxor and Asswan, while in the summer vacation 
 camps move to the seaside. 
 
 Young Peoples Clubs. Where school buildings permitted it, 
 young people’s clubs were started in Cairo and in some of the prov¬ 
 inces. At present there are 12, but in view of the great help such clubs 
 give in encouraging effective use of leisure time, further expansion is 
 contemplated. The school principal acts as club president and is 
 aided by supervisors for the cultural, social and athletic activities as 
 well as by instructors in the various hobbies practiced by the club 
 members. Clubs outside the school buildings and independent of 
 school administration are being planned. 
 
 Foreign Travel. In the summer of 1951 a trip to Lebanon was 
 organized for secondary school boys and girls. The results were so 
 encouraging that a trip to Italy and Austria was organized in 1952. 
 
 School Social Work. Social work was introduced in secondary 
 schools in 1949 and by the end of 1950 there were 270 social workers 
 in these schools. Special summer courses were also organized to train 
 these social workers in the task of helping children to develop their 
 potentialities and to solve their problems on a sound basis. 
 
 Pupils' Hostels. This project has been carried out on a small 
 scale for the benefit of pupils coming from towns and villages and who 
 may lack accommodations and the proper home supervision. 
 
 Oriental Students' Hostel. This hostel houses students coming 
 from oriental countries, particularly those from Palestine, Lebanon, 
 Iraq and Saudi Arabia, who may find difficulty in meeting their living 
 expenses while in Egypt. The hostel also serves as a cultural center 
 for Arab and oriental students. 
 
 Camp Construction. Permanent camps are being constructed by 
 the seaside and in Upper Egypt. A camp near the pyramids of Giza 
 has also been built. 
 
 Exhibitions. The first exhibition of art w'orks by camp members 
 was held in the summer of 1951. 
 
 Welfare Activities. Financial help is given to pupils with reduced 
 means after an investigation of their case by the social worker. 
 
 School Broadcasting. This program consists of weekly broadcasts 
 covering Arabic and English literatures, history, geography, science, 
 news comment, and music on the secondary level. Primary schools 
 receive broadcasts covering Arabic literature, history, travel, and 
 music. There are also programs for children of kindergarten age. 
 
 International Correspondence. Children are encouraged to com¬ 
 municate by letter with children of other countries. Language masters 
 are in charge of this program so important to the promotion of inter- 
 
 21 
 
national understanding. 
 
 School Health Service and School Lunch Program 
 
 Very useful work has been done in the field of school health. The 
 large increase in the number of schools puts an additional strain on 
 the School Health Department, which has had to extend its services. 
 There is a central medical service in Cairo, and another in Alexandria, 
 both of which include clinics for the treatment of various diseases. 
 Besides, there are 149 medical services scattered over the country, 
 especially in the larger towns. The students’ hospitals in Cairo and 
 Alexandria undertake full treatment of patients at nominal fees and 
 measures are being taken to extend this system. 
 
 Pupils benefiting from the services of the medical units in 1950- 
 1951 numbered 384,382. The Ministry of Education’s laboratory for 
 the manufacture of eye glasses manufactures and sells glasses to pupils 
 at a very low price, not exceeding $1.10 a pair. There is an average 
 output of 600 pairs per month. 
 
 Since the year 1953-1954, all primary school boys and girls 
 throughout the country have been entitled to a free meal. Due to 
 the lack of kitchen facilities in a large number of schools in the coun¬ 
 tryside, uncooked foods providing the required nutritive value, such as 
 cheese, are served. 
 
 The Ministry of Education supervises the administration of the 
 school feeding program. Every provincial center has a branch office 
 to insure that the feeding program is being carried out according 
 to plan. 
 
 In the state schools, the government pays all the expenses of 
 school feeding. In private primary schools, the directors are required 
 to supply their pupils with luncheons, the plan following that of the 
 state schools. Sets of laws and regulations have been adopted govern¬ 
 ing the feeding program. 
 
 The history of the school lunch program goes back to the year 
 696 when the first school-mosque was built in Cairo by Amr-Ibn-El- 
 Aas. Since then, it has always been the tradition in many school- 
 mosques throughout the middle ages to provide free lunches to the 
 students. 
 
 When the modem school system was introduced into Egypt, 
 education was not free. School fees in both primary and secondary 
 schools included the expense of a cooked lunch. 
 
 At present the Government cannot afford to feed all the students, 
 since secondary school education is now free. The school feeding 
 program is confined to the primary schools. At other schools, coopera¬ 
 tive canteens are established, financed and run by the boys and girls 
 themselves. Light meals can be obtained at the expense of the pupils. 
 
 22 
 
Egyptian Students Abroad 
 
 Following is the list, as of May 1954, of Egyptian students 
 abroad, a large number of whom were working for advanced degrees, 
 or doing research in various fields. Students include: 1) members of 
 Government missions; 2) people on study leave; 3) students, studying 
 at their own expense, but under the supervision of the Egyptian Edu¬ 
 cation Bureaus located in principal capitals of the world. 
 
 Country 
 
 Number of Students 
 
 United States 
 
 388 
 
 Great Britain 
 
 495 
 
 France 
 
 473 
 
 Switzerland 
 
 101 
 
 Germany 
 
 97 
 
 Italy 
 
 36 
 
 Austria 
 
 54 
 
 Belgium 
 
 18 
 
 Sweden 
 
 2 
 
 Holland 
 
 7 
 
 Spain 
 
 7 
 
 Total 
 
 1,678 
 
 Cultural Relations with Arab Countries 
 
 With reciprocal benefit, Egypt helps other Arab countries in the 
 field of education: 1) by sending teachers to those countries, and 2) 
 by receiving students from other Arab countries in Egyptian schools 
 and universities. A free hostel in Cairo is available to university stu¬ 
 dents from Arab countries. The capacity is 63 students and each one 
 receives a monthly stipend. 
 
 EGYPTIAN TEACHERS LOANED TO ARAB COUNTRIES, 1953-1954 
 
 Saudia Arabia 
 
 204 
 
 Kuwait 
 
 114 
 
 Libya 
 
 104 
 
 Iraq 
 
 76 
 
 Syria 
 
 67 
 
 Tripoli 
 
 55 
 
 Lebanon 
 
 25 
 
 Lebanon 
 
 25 
 
 Bahrein 
 
 15 
 
 Total 
 
 685 
 
 In 1955-56 the total number of teachers on loan more than doubled 
 previous figures. 
 
 STUDENTS FROM ARAB COUNTRIES IN EGYPTIAN INSTITUTES 
 
 1953-1954 
 
 Different Schools 
 Al-Azhar University 
 Children of Refugees in Gaza 
 
 4,348 
 
 4,106 
 
 48,671 
 
 23 
 
Looking Forward 
 
 Such has been the outstanding achievement Egypt has made in 
 the field of education during the last 30 years. In concerning herself 
 so anxiously with the next generation, she hopes to stride along the 
 path toward such an enlightened future as would restore her past 
 glory. Indeed, except for the dark days of the Ottoman rule over 
 Egypt, which extended for about four centuries, with its natural conse¬ 
 quences in the British occupation, Egypt had always been an illus¬ 
 trious center of learning throughout the ages. The glory of ancient 
 Egypt need not be stressed here. But it is worth noting that when 
 Athens faded away, Alexandria took over as the center of world cul¬ 
 ture. When Christianity was bom, it was Egypt that brought it up to 
 strength in its first four centuries of struggle and conflict. When 
 Islam appeared in the seventh century, Egypt took the lead'in the 
 academic as well as the political field of the Moslem world—a position 
 which has remained in her hands up to the present day. 
 
 When Egypt looks forward to the future, hopefully and eagerly, 
 she does but continue a cultural tradition that has been a characteristic 
 of hers all through her very long history. 
 
 24 
 
DATE LOANED 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GAYLORD 3563 
 
 
 
 PRINTED INU.S A. G 
 
This publication comes to you with the compliments 
 of the Egyptian Embassy, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Requests for additional copies or other information 
 may be addressed to the Tress Department, Egyptian 
 Embassy, 2310 Decatur Place, N.W., Washington 8, 
 D. C. 
 
 Permission to reprint this material may be had upon 
 request to the Embassy.