Egypt’s Teachers Syndicate has condemned what it described as “inappropriate treatment” by Qalyubia Governor Hossam Abdel Fattah toward two school principals during an inspection tour on Monday ahead of the new academic year. The union emphasized that “the dignity of teachers is a red line” and insisted schools must not be turned into arenas for “media stunts”.
The union’s reaction follows the governor’s tour across four schools in Kafr Shukr and Banha. The syndicate stated that his public reprimands crossed acceptable bounds against Nader Ali, principal of Baraqta Elementary School in Kafr Shukr, and Salha Abdel Fadhil, principal of the Martyr Ahmed Samir School in Banha.
Viral videos on social media showed the governor at Baraqta Elementary accusing the principal of “neglect and irresponsibility” after inspecting dusty classrooms and desks, telling him: “You are negligent and irresponsible”. Following the tour, the governor removed the principal from his post, citing “poor preparation” and claiming he met the governor wearing a galabeya, local media reported.
During the same tour, Salha Abdel Fadil faced criticism while explaining a lack of school services. The governor cut her off and asked, “What does that have to do with this dumped trash?” When Abdel Fadil clarified that workers were distributing textbooks and scheduled to mop on Wednesday, the governor interjected: “How am I supposed to teach kids cleanliness if I am filthy myself?”
In a statement Tuesday, the Teachers Syndicate said the governor's behavior sparked widespread outrage. It affirmed that respect for educators' dignity is non-negotiable and that performance issues must be handled through legal and administrative channels, not before cameras.
The syndicate announced plans to petition Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly to establish binding protocols for school inspections. It urged that such visits serve as constructive tools for development rather than platforms to scapegoat administrators before students and media.
Khalf El-Zanati, head of the Teachers Syndicate, demanded clear guidelines defining agency responsibilities and violation procedures. He stressed that principals should not be held liable for issues outside their jurisdiction or requiring higher administrative intervention.
El-Zanati confirmed the syndicate will honor both principals for their dedication. He highlighted that Abdel Fadhil faced public humiliating remarks despite funding critical facility repairs out of her own pocket.
During the visit, Abdel Fadil detailed severe facility degradation following building demolitions that damaged utility lines. When the governor doubted her account, she produced receipts showing she and her colleagues spent roughly 18,000 Egyptian pounds ($340) of personal funds on repairs after repeated requests to educational authorities went unanswered.
While the Qalyubia Governorate's official Facebook page omitted the incidents from its tour summary, the governor told reporters the principal failed to prove personal expenditure, asserting her documents were merely unanswered administrative requests.
El-Zanati countered that filming officials publicizing reprimands damages teacher authority and hinders educational roles. He emphasized that systemic challenges fall across multiple authorities—including educational directorates and the Educational Buildings Authority—and cannot be blamed solely on school principals.
This view was echoed by MP Sanaa El-Saeed, a member of the parliamentary Education Committee. In a social media post, El-Saeed noted the tour exposed a painful systemic reality, asking: “How can we demand cleanliness and discipline from a school principal while failing to provide them with basic resources?”
