Cairo: Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended the assessment tests held at the Egyptian Military Academy in the New Capital for PhD holders from the Ministry of Endowments' preachers. These candidates are set to embark on a two-year academic course at the Academy. Present at the event were Minister of Religious Endowments Dr. Usama Al-Azhari, Director of the Egyptian Military Academy Lieutenant General Ashraf Zaher, and members of the judging panel from the Ministry of Endowments and the Council of Senior Scholars.
According to State Information Service Egypt, spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, mentioned that the President initiated the meeting with an interactive dialogue with the judging panel members. During this discussion, President El-Sisi underscored the importance of the educational and training programs offered by the Egyptian Military Academy to the Ministry of Endowments' preachers and imams, as well as various state cadres. These initiatives are part of the broader efforts to develop and reform institutions and to qualify highly capable personnel across different specialties, thereby ensuring that state agencies are reinforced with competent personnel. The President highlighted the need to address the general shortage of qualified cadres.
President El-Sisi further assured that the selection for these courses is based on absolute objective criteria, and the evaluation process is conducted impartially without any favoritism.
In the same context, it was observed that the programs at the Egyptian Military Academy form part of a continuous path that contributes significantly to graduating qualified cadres, who are essential for the development of the Egyptian state and building its capacities. It was also emphasized that the Academy's programs are subject to ongoing development and evaluation.
The discussion also covered the role of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and its institutes in promoting the authentic teachings of Islam and the memorization of the Holy Quran.
The importance of updating Al-Azhar's curricula was highlighted, with a focus on incorporating subjects related to national security and the Egyptian perspective on current events, alongside the development of scientific research and its connection to production.
Furthermore, the conversation underscored the necessity of promoting enlightened moderate thought, reinforcing educational values, and prioritizing the Arabic language as the primary tool for understanding religion and interpreting the Quran accurately, as well as its significance in accessing various fields of knowledge.
The discussion also addressed the importance of countering extremism and atheism with objective arguments, emphasizing the role of programs and courses provided by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Egyptian Military Academy in this area.
In this regard, President El-Sisi reiterated the need to establish a clear path for qualifying, training, and utilizing cadres. The President emphasized the crucial roles of education, mosques, churches, and the media in confronting challenges and the importance of staying connected to reality.
The President further noted the significance of encouraging citizens, especially the youth, to engage in sports and maintain public health.
President El-Sisi participated in conducting personality tests for the Ministry of Endowments' preachers and imams who will join the two-year academic course. The President also engaged in discussions with the students on various topics.