From “kuttab” to university.. the journey of girls’ education in the Oasis

In the heart of the Western Desert, where sand dunes stretch endlessly and palm trees intertwine with golden rays of sunlight, great stories are born in the most isolated places. Here, in the New Valley Governorate, the issue of girls’ education was not just a step in the march toward progress, but a real battle between entrenched customs and a new awareness.

A girl going to school?!

In one of the old mud-brick houses in the village of Boulaq in the New Valley. Seventy-year-old Fatma sat flipping through the pages of her memory, telling Bab Masr about the first day she wore her simple school uniform.

“A girl going to school?” she said, repeating a phrase she heard from her neighbors as she prepared to begin her educational journey. On my first day, I stood at the door of our house, afraid of the eyes watching me and the whispers following me. She adds with a smile, “They thought a girl’s place was in the home. But my father had a different opinion. He said that girls are like boys, and education is the only weapon.”

That moment, which may seem ordinary today, was a silent revolution against entrenched customs in the 1950s. It encapsulates the long struggle between social traditions and the desire for change, between the restrictions that shackled women and the education that liberated their minds, between the past and the present in the journey of girls’ schools in the oases.

Education between kuttab and elementary school

The educational journey did not begin with Fatima and her companions, but dates back much further. Mahmoud Abd Rabbo, who is interested in collecting Oasis heritage, says that in 1913, the Sharia judge and writer Ahmed Amin recorded a striking scene of education in the Oasis when he visited a kuttab “traditional al Qu’ranix schools” in Al-Kharga:

“I entered a cylindrical building with no windows except for the door, its floor made of dry clay, and some mats—made of palm fronds—on the sides for the children to sit on. They write on tin boards coated with clay. Then they wipe them clean and write on them again.”

The sheikhs of the Oasis carried the banner of knowledge

The kuttab “traditional al Qu’ranix schools” played a major role in spreading education among the people of the oasis. Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Al-Barsi, a doctoral researcher in the popular heritage of the history of the oasis, says: The sheikhs of the Oasis contributed to establishing the value of education through the katatib “traditional al Qu’ranix schools”. Among the most prominent of them was Sheikh Bahar Hassanein Khalid, who founded a private school next to the Muaz Mosque in Al-Kharga. It remained in existence until the 1960s.

As for Sheikh Hussein Ahmed Abdel-Jadid, born in 1934, he defied the contempt of some for his abilities. He insisted on completing his education until he obtained his preparatory and secondary school certificates in a few years. He then enrolled in the Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion and was appointed imam and preacher in 1982. The people of Al-Kharga are grateful to Sheikh Hassan Sayed Abdul Hadi, who taught many generations and left behind kuttab bearing his name.

Sheikh Hafiz Hamid, Sheikh Farghali Ibrahim Ahmed, Sheikh Awad Ali Al-Ghani, and dozens of other sheikhs also played a prominent role in paving the way for the spread of education later on. Among them were those who encouraged their sons and daughters to pursue formal education.

Al-Kharga Primary School: The First Seed

Al-Barsi adds: In 1913, the Oasis of Al-Kharga witnessed a landmark event when the Egyptian government established the first formal school, Al-Kharga Primary School (currently for boys). At the time, it was called the Primary School.

This step marked the beginning of the transition from the limited space of the kuttab (traditional school) to the expansiveness of formal education. However, for many years, it remained restricted to boys only.

Bulaq: a village ahead of its time

Researcher Mahmoud Abdel Rabbo says: “The village of Bulaq in the Kharga district is a unique example of the value placed on education. Its residents sent their children on the backs of animals across the desert to the city of Kharga to learn. This made Bulaq the first village to establish private schools.” Generations of people who cared about education came out of the village, traveling and renting houses in Al-Kharga to continue their secondary and university studies.

He adds: Among the symbols of Boulaq, the name of Ibrahim Abu Rahab Muhammad Bahnous, nicknamed “the Lion of the Desert” for his extensive knowledge of its paths, stands out. Although he did not obtain a degree, he worked as an employee at the Border Authority before 1960. He insisted on educating all his children, including the late engineer Ibtisam Abu Rahab, who headed the branch of the National Council for Women. She also served as a member of the House of Representatives for the New Valley.

A tough and difficult battle

In this region, getting girls into school was a real battle. Mona Abdel Rahim, one of the first generation of girls to attend school in Al-Kharga, says: “We would walk down the street and all eyes would be on us… Some people blamed our parents, and some mocked us. But over time, people began to see that we were returning to read and write, helping at home and teaching our sisters.

She adds: “The road was not easy, as we faced difficulties with transportation. The schools were far from the villages where we lived, so we had to take arduous desert roads. However, these hardships did not affect our determination to learn.”

Inspirational female figures in the Oasis

One of the most prominent female figures in the Oasis is engineer Ibtisam Abu Rahab, whose name is associated with the New Valley Governorate. She was the first female engineer to be appointed there at a time when women faced great difficulties in entering the public sector. She later served as a member of the House of Representatives and passed away in 2022. Her daughter, Dr. Ragda Negati, a member of the House of Representatives, said: “My mother believed that the renaissance of society begins in the classroom. She believed that building people is more important than building stones. She always said that serving the country can only be done through knowledge and work.”

She added: “My mother is from the village of Boulaq, which is known as the village of knowledge. There, she began her journey from a simple background, but she faced challenges and held on to her right to education. She graduated as the first female engineer in New Valley, opening the door for girls to enter fields that were previously exclusive to men.

The situation has changed

The situation has changed radically, and today the presence of girls in schools is a source of pride. It is no longer strange, frowned upon, or against social norms. Asmaa Ahmed, a third-year high school student, says, “My mother tells me that she was afraid to go to school alone. But now, there is no girl in the family who is not in school or university. On the contrary, it is considered shameful not to be educated.”

Amina Abdullah, an Arabic language teacher, affirms that the role of women in the Oasis is no longer limited to the home: “Now we have female doctors, engineers, and judges… It all started with the first step we took into school and broke the barrier of fear.