Although Articles 6 and 33 of the Egyptian Constitution provide equal opportunities to all, including the access to education, the call to ensure that all citizens have equal opportunities in some institutions has sparked unexpected debate.

On March 6, parliament member Mohamed Abu Hamed announced his intention to submit to parliament a proposal amending Law No. 103 of 1961, which regulates Al-Azhar affairs. The proposal is designed to affiliate nonreligious faculties at Al-Azhar University — such as the faculties of medicine, engineering, media and communications — with the Ministry of Higher Education instead of Al-Azhar institution, which would subsequently allow Christian students to enroll in these faculties.

Abu Hamed's remarks sparked wide controversy. On March 9, Al-Azhar representative Abbas Shoman said that Al-Azhar's system of education is inconvenient for Christians, because students who join Al-Azhar are required to recite the Quran. He asked, “Are Christian students going to recite the Quran and learn Islamic jurisprudence, exegesis, doctrine and hadith?” Shoman pointed to the absence of any legal texts preventing Christians from being enrolled at Al-Azhar University.

Some parliamentarians have also rejected the proposal. Abdel Rahman al-Borei, a representative of the Committee on Education and Scientific Research, told the press March 10, “Christian students will not want to study at Al-Azhar University, as Islamic religious sciences are taught in all faculties. Discussion of the issue would generate problems at a time when our educational problems need to be solved.”