Khaberni - A tour by the Qalyubia Governor to a number of schools sparked outrage in Egypt, after a video circulated of his conversation with a school principal, considered by followers to undermine her efforts and an overstep in how to deal with educators.
Salha Abu El-Fadl, the principal of Martyr Ahmad Samir School in Kafr El-Gazar village, Benha, topped social media after a clip from the governor's visit to check the school's preparations for the new academic year went viral.
According to the video and narratives about the incident, a discussion took place between the governor and the school principal about the school's condition and its needs, after he pointed out some signs of uncleanliness, while the principal explained that she had borne the costs for some repair and utilities work from her personal funds.
The principal stated during the discussion that she had previously addressed the relevant authorities to provide for the school’s needs, but was forced to intervene herself to execute some work, noting that she holds documents and invoices that prove her expenditure, before the governor replied: "Don’t make me understand that you're spending on the state, professor, stop saying things that wouldn’t make sense to a small child."
The manner of the dialogue sparked a wave of widespread criticism on social media, with many followers feeling that the principal was trying to explain the problems and needs of the school and that her handling should have focused on finding solutions to these issues and providing the necessary resources.
A user on the social media site "Facebook" reacted to the incident by calling for the governor's dismissal and humorously suggested that the school principal should take over as governor, arguing that what she did reflects, in his view, a great deal of responsibility and concern for the school.
Another user commented that a school principal in the village of Kafr Ali Sharaf El Din has been spending for years on maintenance "self-effort," noting that school principals and staff contributing to maintenance work is something he experienced in several rural schools.
He added that many school principals participate in maintenance work during the summer, questioning how well officials understand the needs facing schools before the start of school.
Journalist Faraj Ismail criticized in a post on his Facebook account how officials, including the governor, deal with school principals and considered the incident to show what he described as a gap between officials and the reality of schools and their needs.
Ismail mentioned that according to the principal, she and her deputy had spent about 18,000 Egyptian pounds of their personal money on essential facilities including water, electricity, and sanitation, while he also criticized what he saw as belittlement of the school principals during the tour.
The incident also saw a broad wave of solidarity with the school principal, as several users recalled personal experiences similar to school principals and teachers who contribute from their own funds to improve the condition of schools, especially in villages.
A follower wrote that his mother was a school principal in a village in Sharqia Governorate, and that teachers would collectively contribute to improving services within the school, considering these practices common in some rural schools facing high student density and increased needs.
The follower criticized what he described as the focus on "photo ops" during the tour, considering the principal’s approach as different because she focused on fixing problems away from the spotlight, and called for officials to honor and apologize to her.
Egyptian media personality Ibrahim Issa commented on the incident, considering it, from his perspective, indicative of a broader issue related to spending priorities and educational needs, stating that the principal and her deputy had borne from their own pocket costs related to the school’s needs.
Issa described the incident as transcending a dispute between an official and a school principal, considering it to reflect a broader picture of how some officials deal with citizens, and said: "It is not an isolated case nor an exceptional incident."
The incident resurfaced in conjunction with the preparations for the new academic year in Egypt, addressing the readiness of public schools, their needs for maintenance, cleanliness, facilities, and mechanisms to provide the necessary resources for school administrations.
