The Ministry of Education intervened and filed a report against an Egyptian teacher after he criticized Hoda Shaarawy and Safia Zaghloul

In a development of the incident of a video clip of an Egyptian history teacher in one of the private lessons centers in Alexandria, after he directed sharp criticism at Hoda Shaarawi and Safia Zaghloul, and linked their activity in women’s liberation to the changing conditions of women and their exit into public life, lawyer Hani Sameh submitted a report to the Prime Minister, against the teacher and those in charge of the private lessons centers where he works.

The communication called for an investigation into accusations related to spreading exclusionary ideas, distorting national history, and exploiting the educational process for ideological indoctrination, in addition to examining the centers’ licenses and the legality of their activities.

The video sparked widespread interaction, amid criticism of the way the two historical figures were treated, and calls to rely on reliable sources when teaching history, and not to present personal opinions as established facts. The incident also sparked a discussion about the limits of the teacher’s freedom to express his opinions, and his responsibility to separate personal interpretation from historical facts, especially in light of his influence in shaping students’ awareness.

Writer and doctor Khaled Montaser criticized the content of the video after it was recirculated, considering that the teacher went beyond his role in explaining his material to presenting a personal position on Safia Zaghloul, Hoda Shaarawi, and the role of women in society.

The controversy intensified after the teacher mentioned the name of the journalist, Radwa El-Sherbiny, in the context of his speech, using a comparison with her to criticize the two women’s orientations. The journalist responded through her official Facebook account, saying: “If my comparison to Hoda Shaarawi and Safiya Zaghloul is intended as an insult... I actually consider it an honor, not an insult.”

The controversy re-highlighted the role of private tutoring centers in ensuring the accuracy of educational content, and the necessity of adhering to objectivity when addressing national figures and social issues.

The available information did not include an official documented response from the teacher or the concerned centers regarding the incident.

The communication addressed what it considered inaccurate historical information, including the link between the naming of Tahrir Square and the liberation of women from the face covering, noting that the square was known as “Ismailia Square,” before its name was later linked to national liberation following the July 1952 revolution.

Hoda Shaarawi has a prominent place in the history of the Egyptian women’s movement, and she contributed to the founding of the Egyptian Women’s Union in 1923, while the name of Safia Zaghloul, the wife of Egyptian leader Saad Zaghloul, was linked to the 1919 revolution and the national movement, and she was known as the “Mother of the Egyptians” in recognition of her national role.

An official source at the Ministry of Education confirmed in a special statement to the Egyptian “Sada El Balad” website that the controversial video circulating was monitored and followed up, and after investigation it became clear that the teacher shown in the video does not currently work in any of the schools affiliated with the Ministry of Education, indicating that this video was filmed in a “private lessons center.”