The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb stressed that cherishing the Arabic language and the nation’s rich history should occupy a central place in education systems across the Arab world.
He expressed concern that some families neglect teaching their children Arabic—the language of the Quran—while taking pride in their fluency in foreign languages.
The Grand Imam made these remarks as he received on Tuesday Minister of Education Mohamed Abdel Latif to bolster cooperation between the Islamic institution and the Ministry in education.
He noted that promoting Arabic does not mean discouraging the study of foreign languages, describing proficiency in them as important. However, he said Arabic should remain the priority because it is the language of the Quran and the cornerstone of identity, culture and national belonging.
For his part, Minister Abdel Latif praised Al-Azhar’s leading role in promoting the true teachings of Islam, fostering moderation and strengthening public awareness.
He also highlighted the ministry’s efforts to reinforce religious and moral values through school curricula, restore the educational role of schools, and ease burdens on students and parents.
The meeting also included the signing of a cooperation protocol between Al-Azhar and the Ministry to strengthen institutional collaboration, particularly in developing the baccalaureate certificate system, improving educational quality, upgrading assessment methods, enhancing student attendance, and providing joint training programmes for teachers and education leaders.
The protocol also covers cooperation on improving Islamic education teaching, including teacher training, specialised workshops, and Quran recitation instruction led by qualified Al-Azhar reciters.
