Some 20 million Egyptian schoolchildren are studying from revised textbooks that seek to promote peace and tolerance, highlighting for the first time the historic Jewish presence in Egypt, according to a study released on Wednesday.
The changes come as Palestinian children continue to learn from schoolbooks rife with antisemitism and hatred of Israel.
The study, by the IMPACT-se NGO, found that 80% of Egyptian schoolchildren are now studying under a reformed curriculum featuring “greatly improved” attitudes towards Jews and Israel.
The study found “continued improvement in textbooks promoting peace, tolerance, and rejecting violence and extremism” with antisemitic and anti-Israel content showcased in previous reports having been removed or revised.
The fully revised curriculum for elementary schools is free of anti-Israel hatred, the study found. And some Christian education textbooks acknowledge the connection of Jews to Jerusalem and the land of Israel, such as the existence of a Jewish temple built by King Solomon in Jerusalem, it added.
Israel is also presented as a legitimate peace partner.
Ninth-grade social-studies students are required to memorize provisions of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty and outline the “advantages of peace for Egypt and the Arab states,” the study states.
Peace-making is illustrated in the curriculum through the inclusion of a picture depicting the late Israeli premier Menachem Begin alongside the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
Christians, especially Copts, are commended throughout textbooks with their contribution to Egypt’s history and modern society emphasized.
While the updated elementary-level curriculum, where the majority of Egyptian school students study, has successfully eliminated hateful content, the unrevised materials for higher grades continue to include antisemitic and anti-Israel narratives, the study found.
Textbooks for higher grades are also scheduled for reform in the coming years.
“We are delighted to see the ongoing reforms taking place in the Egyptian curriculum, which mark significant progress,” said IMPACT-se CEO Marcus Sheff. “These changes in the most populous Arab country with a long-standing landmark peace agreement with Israel, are of real importance to the region’s future.”