Oral History Archive Eatedal Farag

In this interview, Eatedal Farag, a woman pioneer of education, shared the milestones of her education and career. She served as a school principal, and inaugurated several kindergartens for children. She took interest in children’s education and arts, especially painting, and ensured the comprehensive development of students in all aspects.

Eatedal was born on Madbouly Street, in Abdeen district, Cairo. Her house was located directly behind Abdeen Palace, and from the rooftop of her house, she used to see the side of the Palace’s Garden. Eatedal was raised by a mother who received a Christian education at Du Bon Pasteur French School in Shubra, but never got the chance to complete her education. At that time, girls attended school for a few years before dropping out to get married. Eatedal’s mother had to leave school to marry the lawyer, Mr. Farag Aziz. Yet, both of Eatedal’s parents were keen on their daughter’s education, and ensured that Eatedal would complete her formal education, although the other girls in her family continued the tradition of quitting school after a few years to get married. Eatedal’s father insisted that she did not befriend the girls who quit school so that she would not be influenced by them, or follow their lead. As for the mother, she made sure that Eatedal devoted all her time to her studies. The mother also saw that her Christian education was not useful on the social level, and as a result, was keen on providing Eatedal with the Arabic education that would enable her to acquire life experiences, and have an active role in society.

Eatedal attended Mohammed Ali Royal School, where she studied for four years at the kindergarten stage, then another four years to receive her primary education. She described the school system as assertive with great quality education. The school had an Egyptian principal, while the English language teachers were British. Eatedal recalled that her science and Arabic language teachers had a strong impact on her. The Arabic teacher, Sheikh Obaid, who used to wear the traditional turban and caftan, made the Arabic language very easy to learn. Eatedal recounted how he always used stories and tales to explain the course material, and how she admired his beautiful handwriting and penmanship. Among her classmates, Eatedal recalled Ms. Badiae Suleiman, who later worked in the field of teaching, then administration, until she became a Minister’s Undersecretary. They remained friends for many years.

Eatedal attended al-Saniya Secondary School, for its proximity to her place of residence. She described Ms. Ryan, the British principal, as influential in her character formation, due to her great educational and pedagogical role. Eatedal also spoke about the negative impact of the British occupation on the relationship between the British teachers and some of her classmates, who used to harass the teachers for being British. Eatedal earned her General Culture Certificate after four years, and her high-school diploma in the fifth year of her secondary education. She saw that the education she received in all the schools she attended was rigorous, significant, and undeniably beneficial for her professional life.

Upon her high school graduation, Eatedal attended the Institute for Early Education and Preschool, after successfully passing the admission interview, following in the footsteps of her classmate Badiae Suleiman, who had already enrolled in the Institute, and spoke to Eatedal about the exceptional education there. Eatedal enjoyed her studies at the Institute because of her love for painting, crafts, and music. At the Institute, she learned child psychology, and the different teaching methods for every field and course. Among the pioneers Eatedal studied under at the Institute were Ihsan Hedayet, Someya Fahmy, Fathia Suleiman, and Zakia Aziz. These women were the top students of the graduating classes that retuned to Egypt after studying abroad on academic missions. Among Eatedal’s classmates at the Institute was Nawal Issa, who graduated top of her class, and was offered a scholarship to pursue further studies abroad.

Eatedal received her practical training at Qasr al-Dobara School, which she considered an excellent model with good case practices for kindergarten education. At first, she found it difficult to control the children in her classroom, but she soon managed to do it by constantly smiling at them, and even her supervisor praised her methods to manage and control the children. She came to be fond of teaching and the children. In 1944, Eatedal completed her education at the Institute, and was appointed, as soon as she graduated, as a teacher at the kindergarten affiliated with Kobri al-Qobba Primary School, which she described as a highly distinguished school.

Eatedal recounted that after the 1952 Revolution, the Ministry of Education founded a number of kindergartens, and the first was a model kindergarten established in a villa with a large garden located on al-Ahram Street, in Heliopolis. Eatedal was appointed as its principal, but left the post after facing some problems, and worked at another kindergarten. Later, when the Ministry cancelled the preschool and kindergarten stages of education, Eatedal continued to work as a principal but at primary and preparatory schools, where she experienced a great concern for the students, especially the teenagers at the preparatory stages, because she was aware of how dangerous and demanding adolescence could be. Eatedal attributed her success as a principal to her reliance on discipline with flexibility, friendship, and gentleness, and on her commitment to treat the teachers and the staff as a family, all of which she learned from one of the principals at Kobri al-Qobba School. Eatedal maintained a good relationship with the schools teaching staff even after she left work.

In 1949, Eatedal married an army officer, who was a friend of Badiae Suleiman’s husband. Eatedal described her husband as a broad-minded, supportive, and highly cultured man. She recounted that her mother-in-law objected to their marriage at first because Eatedal was an educated working woman, but Eatedal’s husband responded, telling his mother, “a generation or two from now, there would not be any girls who were uneducated or unemployed.” They had two sons and a daughter together, before his illness and subsequent death in 1970, at the young age of 47. Eatedal recalled the hardships she faced while raising her children on her own, alongside her work responsibilities. She concluded her career journey serving as a Department Head, primarily supervising schools, before choosing to retire at the age of 58.

Eatedal Farag took pride in her students and their achievements. She was proud of how many of them reached distinguished positions, and how she brought to society very distinguished generations of women. For her, their success is the result of her life’s work and her contributions. She was also proud of herself for having raised her children on her own, and for bringing them to safety, as she put it, after their father’s early death. She expressed her pride in her close friendships with those who worked with her – friendships based on love and sincerity without any interests, only compassion, kindness, and good companionship.