ABSTRACT
Education has always been considered a major factor in shaping a society and in enriching its cultural heritage. Educational opportunties for young women were further limited by the unavailability of classroom seats. Despite numerous requests to open additional primary schools for girls, by as late as 1900 no new schools had been established. Despite the existence of a free and non-discriminatory system of education, the rate of literacy among Egyptian women is still dramatically lower than that of men. Concomitant to increased education for women was the movement for her emancipation from her traditional status to a more active role in public, both in the economic and political spheres. The increase in educational opportunities for women has been accompanied by an increased awareness of the importance of employment for women. The ancient system, however, was geared to the education of the upper and middle classes; and, women of these classes were not denied the privilege of receiving instruction.
