CAIRO - For the second day running, dozens of mosque preachers coming from various Egyptian governorates gathered outside the Ministry of Waqfs (Religious Endowments) in central Cairo, calling for the independence of Al-Azhar from the State control. They want Al-Azhar to regain its prestige, and the Grand Sheikh (Imam) of the oldest Sunni Islam seat of learning to be elected, not appointed. They also want greater stress to be placed on the fact that Islam is the main source for legislation in the Egyptian Constitution. Having a special pay scale for imams and preachers, as well as raising their salaries and bonuses, are two more demands in the letter they submitted to Minister of Waqfs Abdullah al-Husseieni. A similar, but bigger, protest of Thanawiya Amma (General Secondary School Certificate) candidates and teachers was staged outside the Ministry of Education, urging Minister Ahmed Galal Eddin Moussa to change the timetable for the exams due in June. Apparently meeting their demands, Moussa said he would suggest an initial timetable for the exams for first- and second-year Thanawiya Amma pupils. They and others concerned will give their feedback, before he comes up with a final timetable.
