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Reformed Egyptian Elementary School Curriculum Promotes Coexistence

(Jerusalem Post) Egyptian elementary school textbooks have been changed to promote tolerance and coexistence between Islam, Judaism and Christianity, according to a report by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-SE), published on Sunday. In 2018, the Egyptian education system began a year-by-year reform of its curriculum, starting with the first grade and proceeding a grade each year. As of 2023, the reform reached the fifth grade. Textbooks for 6th grade and above still contain antisemitic tropes about Jews. The textbooks laud the benefits of the 1979 peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, but also represent Israel as an illegitimate "Zionist entity" aimed at expanding at the expense of the Palestinians. Maps in textbooks avoid listing Israel by name. New textbooks for Christian schools in Egypt acknowledge the Jewish religious connection to the Land of Israel and refer to King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, but also state that the Jews crucified Jesus. IMPACT-SE CEO Marcus Sheff stated that "the Egyptian government under President al-Sisi has fulfilled its promise to reform its school curriculum....This process of removing antisemitism and other hatred from school textbooks is a significant contribution to the emergence of a tolerant Egyptian society and region."
2023-04-27 00:00:00
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