CAIRO — Prior to the scheduled Sept. 22 start of the new academic year in Egypt, the controversy over mixed-gender universities has resurfaced.

Sameh Abdel Hamid, a prominent Salafist preacher in Egypt, criticized in an Aug. 17 statement the mixed-gender system in Egypt's public universities. He called on the government to segregate male and female students, claiming mixed educational facilities lead to "customary marriages" and increased harassment of women. In a customary marriage — known as nikah 'urfi — the contract is not officially registered with the state and no witnesses are required.

The Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education had issued an Aug. 12 statement denying all rumors spreading on social networking sites about a government decision to separate male and female students in Egyptian universities. The rumors said female students would be allowed to attend classes on three specific days and male students would get three different days.

Minister of Higher Education Khalid Abdul Ghaffar denied the rumors as "very funny” in an interview during the This Morning TV show Aug. 13. He added, “Whoever hears such rumors would think we're still living in the dark ages.”