Oral History Archive Hikmat al-Banna

Hikmat al-Banna is a teacher and expert in kindergarten education. She earned a doctorate degree in kindergarten education, before working as an expert advisor of kindergarten in many schools. Hikmat worked on developing the teaching methods and approaches in Kuwait, and established several faculties for kindergarten education in Egypt. She offered numerous trainings on improving and upgrading educational curricula.

Hikmat grew up in Shubra district, in Cairo, as the eldest of five sisters. Her father was a graduate of the Higher Teachers School, who worked as a teacher at al-Tawfiqeya Secondary School, before serving as the principal of a secondary school, until his death. Hikmat recalled that her father was so keen on providing her and her sisters with education that he sold part of his agricultural estate to fund their studies, against the advice of his family and townspeople to marry off his daughters instead. While they insisted to deny girls the right to education, Hikmat’s father was adamant about educating them. He was even keen on educating his wife, Hikmat’s mother, who had no education, and had no desire to acquire it.

Hikmat first attended kindergarten, then primary school, and then Princess Fawzia Secondary School, which was the closest school to home, and an ideal full-fledged school, as Hikmat described it. It had a large gymnasium, advanced laboratories for science and physics, and rooms for home economics and handicrafts. Most of the teachers were British, especially the English language teachers, while the French language was taught by French teachers. Hikmat recalled that secondary school education was five years for boys, and six for girls, with the additional year to teach girls home economics and handwork.

Hikmat enrolled in the History Department, at the Faculty of Arts, because her history schoolteacher had a huge impact on her. Yet, she did not enjoy studying there, and on a friend’s advice, applied to join the Institute for Kindergarten Education in Zamalek. Hikmat passed the admission tests and the interview, and got accepted to the Institute, at the time when the Dean of the Institute was Mrs. Blore. Among her prominent teachers, Hikmat recalled Ms. Zaynab al-Atreby, Dr. Sumaya Fahmi, Dr. Ramzeya al-Gharib, Dr. al-Batriq, Dr. Atiyat Owais, and Dr. Fathia Suleiman, with whom Hikmat had close friendships, in addition to Dr. Fawzia Diab, whom she considered a role model in teaching and knowledge. Hikmat studied at the institute for four years during which she learned teaching methods, child health and diseases, and ways to deal with children. She also received practical training at model schools associated with the institute. Among her colleagues were Ms. Nawal Issa, Ms. Malak Ezzat, and the education pioneer Ms. Maali Kira.

Upon her graduation, Hikmat earned a diploma in education, which was equivalent to a master’s degree at that time. She was nominated by Dr. al-Makhzangi, the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education, to travel on an academic mission to the United States, but she did not go, given the strained relations between Egypt and the United States at the time. Hikmat began her long career as a Teaching Assistant at the model school associated with the Institute for Education, with her colleague and friend, Maali Kira. Hikmat then worked at Victoria’s College, where the entire teaching staff was British. She was the only teacher who knew enough Arabic, English, and French, and was completely responsible for her class, just like her foreign colleagues. Hikmat described this period as the best stage of her career, and recalled the friendly relationship she had with the parents. About her British colleagues, she stated that despite their affiliation with the occupation in Egypt, they were committed to their job, and respected the value of time, adding that she learned a lot from them. Hikmat also highlighted that the school’s British administration practiced fair treatment. In 1959, the school was nationalized, and an Egyptian administration took charge of the school management.

Hikmat traveled to Kuwait to work as a kindergarten expert for a year and a half, during which she made major changes to the curricula and the teaching methods. She worked on connecting all the subjects together through similar topics, so that the courses would be complementary to one another. She introduced learning through activities, based on direct experiences. Upon her return to Egypt in 1988, Hikmat worked in experimental research, and established several faculties for kindergarten education. She worked at the Faculty of Kindergarten Education in Dokki, then at the Faculty of Education in Port Said, as the Vice Dean for the Kindergarten Division. She was responsible for teaching a curriculum called the “activity curriculum,” which minded with teaching all subjects through activities. Hikmat also travelled to the UAE to work as a curriculum expert. Among her job duties were curriculum development and teacher training. In addition, she traveled to Bahrain repeatedly as a visiting professor.

Hikmat headed the educational aids workshop, and conducted many nationwide trainings in Egypt for school managers, supervisors, and mentors, as part of her responsibilities at the National Council for Childhood. In 1981, the Ministry nominated Hikmat for a scholarship in England with UNESCO, during which she visited the institutes that offered undergraduate degrees in kindergarten education. She worked at the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood with Dr. Hoda Badran, the Council Secretary, with whom Hikmat also worked at the Multi-Benefit Center, where she conducted trainings for teachers from the faculties of commerce, agriculture, and others. For Hikmat, Dr. Hoda Badran was a role model in leadership, good attitude, and unlimited generosity, besides her great achievements in the field of childhood and motherhood. Hikmat later worked as an expert for kindergarten education at the office of the Minister of Education.

Hikmat talked about how teaching methods differed across the different times, especially since technology had prevailed, which for her was a double-edged sword. As beneficial as technology could be in various aspects, Hikmat denounced how some parents leave their children with unsupervised access to multiple means of technology, with no concern for the health risks that resulted from extended exposure to these devices. Hikmat added that the current generations were more dependent on their parents than the earlier generations were in the past when there was a greater sense of responsibility in general. Hikmat noted that she did not experience any discrimination, oppression, or any challenges for being a woman, despite witnessing in society around her many manifestations of women’s oppression. Hikmat al-Banna took pride in her devotion to work and her multiple achievements