In Egypt, traditional education helps preserve Islamic culture. But its focus on rote learning hinders the development of critical thinking skills, writes Harsh Mahaseth and Sadqua Khatoon.
Egypt is a nation of approximately 102 million people. Approximately 90 per cent of its population is Sunni Muslims, with Coptic Orthodox Christians making up the remaining 10 per cent. For two centuries, Egypt has been a focal point for the struggle between preserving traditional Islamic culture and adapting to the forces of modernity. This tension has been exacerbated by secularism, which was often imposed through European imperialism and perceived as one of the greatest challenges to Islamic identity.