Review of Changes and Remaining Problematic Content Egyptian Textbooks:
Selected Examples 2023-24

In this updated review on the Egyptian general school curriculum, IMPACT-se examined textbooks for the current academic year (2023-24,) juxtaposing them with our analysis of textbooks published in previous years. A significant number of problematic examples flagged in IMPACT-se’s previous report have been removed or moderated. Our sample comprises 350 textbooks, covering publications from 2018 to 2024. The report focuses on Humanities subjects, namely Arabic Language, Islamic and Christian Religious Education, Social Studies, Values and Respect for the Other, National Education and Civics, History, Geography, and Philosophy.

• Every year since 2018, Egypt has been implementing textbook reforms, showing a determination to reject violence, extremism, hate and intolerance, promote dialogue, recognize differences and encourage coexistence. Since 2018, one grade has been examined per year, and as of 2023-24, all grade 6 textbooks have undergone reform.
  • The 2023-24 curriculum maintains the previous 2022-23 trend of significant improvement in reformed textbooks, which generally adhere to UNESCO standards of peace and tolerance. However, with few examples in the revised textbooks that violate these standards, and a significant number in those unrevised, the curriculum reveals “mixed and contradicting messaging.”
  • While higher grade textbooks did not undergo reform, slight changes and edits were made in some, indicating that problematic content in higher grades can be removed or modified outside of the wider context of reform.
  • It is notable that around 80% of Egyptian students are in elementary or preparatory education, learning from revised textbooks.
• Textbooks promote values of peace and tolerance, respecting the ‘Other’, sustainable development, and forging meaningful bonds (such as marriage) between Muslims and non-Muslims. The promotion of peace and tolerance is especially evident in a new subject introduced in 2021, entitled “Values and Respect for the Other”.
• In both versions of textbooks that have yet to be revised, and those post-reform, Islam is presented as the religion of moderation (wasatiyya) that calls for tolerance, respect and cooperation between people of different religions and nationalities. Religious tolerance and moderation, along with the rejection of extremism and overly rigid interpretations of religious beliefs and practices, are also emphasized in the curriculum. The curriculum teaches about Christians and Jews together as “People of the Book” in a favorable light. Marriage between Muslim men and Christian or Jewish women is considered “the greatest form” of coexistence with “the other”.
• Infidels and polytheists are mostly depicted negatively and as deserving of divine punishment. Revised textbooks tone down the harsh language describing their punishment and incorporate positive portrayals of polytheists assisting Muhammad.
• Christians, especially Copts, are commended throughout textbooks, with their contribution to Egypt’s history and modern society emphasized. They are portrayed as forming “one fabric” together with Muslims, and both groups are described as “brothers united by blood, land, and history”.
• Some Christian Education textbooks acknowledge the connection of Jews and Judaism to Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Others continue to highlight the Jews’ role in crucifying Jesus, although statements declaring that the Jews killed him were removed.
• The improvement in attitudes toward Jews continued in 2023-24. Traditional antisemitic stereotypes generalizing Jews as inherently “treacherous” and promoting traits such as disloyalty, fraud, greediness, and violation of contracts were removed from revised textbooks. These were replaced with content emphasizing tolerance, coexistence, and loyalty between Islam and Judaism, citing Islamic sources. However, antisemitic attitudes remain in higher unrevised grades, such as references to “Jewish hatred toward Muslims” and stereotypical portrayals of Jews engaged in finance. Additionally, lessons on the Holocaust have not been incorporated into the curriculum.
• For the first time, the curriculum acknowledges historic Jewish presence in Egypt, and refrains from negative depictions. Elsewhere, Jews are positively depicted in an exercise for students, requiring them to create a booklet promoting respect for Jews and others. A newly introduced textbook highlights the Treaty of Medina’s principles of religious freedom and tolerance toward Jews, instructing students to draw parallels with the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, fostering historical and contemporary understanding of mutual respect and coexistence with Jews.
• Examples on the virtue of offensive jihad and martyrdom have been removed, and Jihad and violent combat are to be considered as “a last resort”. However, a few examples praising martyrs remain such as those lauding the martyrs’ patriotism for the homeland.
• Gender equality and women’s contribution to society and politics are emphasized. Men are described as participating in house chores, following Muhammad as a role model. Textbooks also renounce Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). In the few remaining problematic examples, a conservative perspective on gender is maintained, that deems men superior to women in certain religious aspects. Additionally, a reformed grade 6 textbook condemns cross-dressing and LGBTQ pride parades as contrary to human nature.
• There is growing positivity in the presentation of Israel, mainly in the context of the peace accords. A remarkable example frames the peace agreement as a positive outcome of the Yom Kippur War, describing its benefits, including strengthening stability, attracting foreign investment, and promoting tourism. Israel is viewed as a legitimate peace partner; as such, a picture of Israel’s former Prime Minister Menachem Begin appears alongside that of Egypt’s former President Anwar Sadat. In addition, students are required to memorize the provisions of the peace treaty and outline the “advantages of peace for Egypt and the Arab states”.
• Nonetheless, the majority of content concerning Israel and Zionism in the unrevised textbooks from higher grades remains hostile, both in the context of the Palestinian Cause, for which the curriculum professes its absolute support, and the history of wars between Israel and Egypt which led to the peace agreement. Israel is still considered the prime “enemy” of Egypt, and Zionism is regarded as a “colonial conspiracy”. The liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem from Israel is not only presented as a political aspiration, but also as an Islamic duty. To this end, Israel is never recognized on maps. However, several significant problematic examples were eliminated, including two maps that had previously labelled Israel as “Palestine” or “Occupied Palestine.” In addition, in a lesson framing the 1973 war through an Islamic perspective, students were asked to suggest solutions to “liberate al-Aqsa from the Zionist Occupation.”
• Textbooks highlight Egypt’s role as a key player in the Middle East and Africa, and its ties to the West, but still criticize Western colonialism.

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  Source: Dr. Yonatan Negev, “Review of Changes and Remaining Problematic Content Egyptian Textbooks: Selected Examples 2023-24,” Impact-se, (December 2024).