Al-Azhar Grand Imam (GI) and MCE Chairman, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, received this afternoon, Counselor Hanafy Ali El Gebaly, Speaker of the House of Representatives. His Excellency was keen to offer his condolences to the Grand Imam on the death of his older sister, praying to Allah Almighty to forgive her, bestow His vast mercy upon her, and to dwell her in His spacious Paradise.

The meeting included a friendly discussion about Al-Azhar Al-Sharif as one of Egypt's most prominent soft powers. El Gebaly stressed his pride in Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, which has attracted the attention of many foreign historians who wrote about Egypt and highlighted Al-Azhar's educational and cultural role. They pointed out its national and historical role in confronting the colonizers, and its roots extending into history since its establishment more than a thousand years ago as the most prominent educational and religious institution. He stressed that Al-Azhar is the great home of the nation.

The meeting also discussed education and the fundamental differences between old and modern teaching methods. The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar stressed that a significant part of modern education curriculum needs to be reconsidered and must be subjected to a national evaluation strategy to determine whether it is appropriate for the needs of society or not. He pointed out that some modern teaching methods empty education of its content and intended goal, and deprive students of the ability to formulate a complete subject with all its elements. He pointed out that all of these things deprive education of the ability to build a critical mindset.

The Grand Imam also warned against the dominance of material aspects that aim to transform education into an investment and commercial commodity that aims to profit, even though it demolishes the pillars of education. His Eminence stressed the need to pay attention to teaching history and heritage that we ignored and left to the enemies who re-presented it to us in a distorted way. He stressed the need for all relevant parties to unite to restore the school to its role in education, upbringing and teaching, stressing that this will not happen without considering the conditions of teachers who represent the cornerstone of the educational process. He stressed Al-Azhar's keenness to graduate generations capable of carrying the message of Islam represented in peace, and achieving the hopes, ambitions and progress of the homeland.