CAIRO — As a step toward restructuring its preaching and academic functions, Al-Azhar has decided to revamp and refocus on supporting the mosque's katateeb (Quranic schools). The move follows on the heels of the institution updating its religious curriculum, which is still a work in progress. Al-Azhar's "re-endorsement" of the schools appears to be part of the same plan to modernize the way Islam is taught. Many observers are skeptical, however, given the institution's outdated approaches to teaching religion and past fondness of Quranic books primarily for purposes of indoctrination. In this context, they wonder whether the institution's educational materials are up to date and question their potential to guide students toward moderation, rather than radical and extremist ideologies, and to develop their comprehension skills.

The katateeb served traditionally as educational platforms to help students memorize the Quran in addition to teaching them reading and writing. Mohammed Ali Pasha, the founder of modern Egypt, used the katateeb to revive Al-Azhar's role in education. Over the past few decades, however, interest in the katateeb has declined in cities as well as villages, mainly due to the financial situation of the Ministry of Awqaf leading to cuts in funding for the schools and the growth of public and private elementary schools.

Through its modernizing of the katateeb's teaching methods, it appears that Al-Azhar is seeking to contribute ideologically to the Ministry of Awqaf’s efforts to regain control of mosques in which the ideology of extremist Islamist groups had gained ground. Some sheikhs have complained that Salafists were taking control of the katateeb. 

Mohammed Mhanna, a member of Al-Azhar's technical committee and supervisor of the mosque’s Sharia court, told Al-Monitor, “The decision to re-endorse the katateeb was based on the instructions of the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, to revive the institution’s ideological and preaching history and heritage.” He stressed the importance of such schools in promoting Al-Azhar’s moderate teachings. Mhanna also said that studying in the katateeb is not limited to people of certain ages, as it is open education, with elementary-, middle- and higher-level studies.