The Al-Azhar University ( / ˈ ɑː z h ɑːr / AHZ -har ; Egyptian Arabic : جامعة الأزهر (الشريف) , IPA: [ˈɡæmʕet elˈʔɑzhɑɾ eʃʃæˈɾiːf] , lit. ' University of (the honorable) Al-Azhar ' ) is a public university in Cairo , Egypt. Associated with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Islamic Cairo , it is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university and is known as one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic learning. In addition to higher education, Al-Azhar oversees a national network of schools with approximately two million students. As of 1996, over 4,000 teaching institutes in Egypt were affiliated with the university.
95-647: A sixth form college ( pre-university college in Malaysia) is an educational institution, where students aged 16 to 19 study typically for advanced post-school level qualifications such as A Levels , Business and Technology Education Council level 3 (BTEC), and the International Baccalaureate Diploma , or school-level qualifications such as General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations and BTEC level 2 qualifications. In many countries this type of educational institute
190-556: A modernist position, advocating "Wasatiyya" (centrism), a reaction against the extreme textualism of many Wahhabi Salafi ideologues. Wasatiyya covers a range of thinkers, some of whom are liberal intellectuals with religious inclinations, preachers such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi and many members of the Muslim Brotherhood . Since the 2013 coup however, Al-Azhar has taken a position against the brotherhood. The nineteenth and current Grand Mufti of Egypt and Al Azhar scholar,
285-423: A 'resit culture', while new linear courses give no opportunity to resit individual units. Controversially, some A-level course subjects have been abolished since 2017 as part of these reforms. These include archaeology, anthropology, creative writing, critical thinking, general studies, and home economics. Many universities criticized the scrapping of exams taken at the end of AS-level, which used to be worth 50% of
380-402: A Sufi order has long been standard for both professors and students in the al-Azhar mosque and university system. Although al-Azhar is not monolithic, its identity has been strongly associated with Sufism. The current Shaykh al-Azhar (rector of the school), Ahmed el-Tayeb , is a hereditary Sufi shaykh from Upper Egypt who has recently expressed his support for the formation of a world Sufi league;
475-776: A Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education is awarded to students who have passed their national examinations that are set and marked by the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB). It is among the requirements for one to join a university in Uganda. The advanced level takes two years for one to complete. A-levels are a college or sixth form leaving qualification offered in England , Wales , and Northern Ireland . These are not compulsory, unlike GCSEs. In Scotland , A-levels are also offered by some schools as an alternative school-leaving qualification in place of
570-474: A format, curriculum, or syllabus that is unique to Seychelles. In Singapore , H1/H2/H3 level qualifications are awarded upon successful completion of examinations jointly administered by Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) and the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). Singaporean A-levels are notably much more difficult than
665-458: A higher amount of "Outstanding" judgments compared to school sixth forms and further education colleges. Scotland does not, in general, have separate sixth form colleges (or, indeed, the same concept of the terminal two years of secondary education as being distinct from the other time spent there); as such, Scottish students who opt to remain in full-time education will typically remain in the same school for fifth and sixth year (the equivalent to
760-477: A local sixth form college, or go to a more vocational further education college , although in some places not all these options are available. Some places only provide tertiary colleges , a "combination" between sixth form and further education colleges. In the independent sector including public schools , sixth forms are an integral part of secondary schools, and there are also a number of smaller-scale independent sixth form colleges. In Scotland and Wales, education
855-545: A madrasa in pre-modern times before its transformation into a university. An Islamic women's faculty was also added in the same year. Historically, Al-Azhar had a membership that represented diverse opinions within Islam. The theological schools of al- Ash'ari and al- Maturidi were both represented. It has a long tradition of teaching all four schools of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence ( Hanafi , Maliki , Shafi , and Hanbali ). The chief mufti of each school of thought acted as
950-524: A modular to linear structure (initially across 13 subjects). This means all A-level exams are taken in one sitting as a set of terminal exams (three exams for the majority of subjects), and there is no coursework set for many subjects. For A-levels that retain a coursework element, the percentage of the final grade determined by coursework has been reduced. An example of this can be seen in Edexcel 's new English Literature A-level, reformed in 2015, which reduces
1045-488: A popular choice among students, but due to financial implications, its reach is limited to the middle and upper classes in major cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong . In Brunei , the A-level qualification is offered, with examinations conducted by Cambridge International Education (CIE). Some subjects are unique to Brunei or have a format, curriculum, or syllabus that is unique to Brunei. The Advanced Level of Cameroon
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#17327808169861140-405: A professor ( ijazah ). The average length of study was 6 years. Despite the lack of bureaucracy, the training remained rigorous and prolonged. Students were loosely organized into riwaq (a sort of fraternity ) organized according to their nationality and branch of Islamic law they studied. Each riwaq was supervised by a professor. A rector, usually a senior professor, oversaw the finances. By
1235-521: A regular "hill of books" was formed and the soldiers used to sole their shoes with the fine bindings. The number of books said to have disposed of varies from 120,000 to 2,000,000." Abd-el-latif delivered lectures on Islamic medicine at Al-Azhar, while according to legend the Jewish philosopher Maimonides delivered lectures on medicine and astronomy there during the time of Saladin though no historical proof has corroborated this. Saladin introduced
1330-476: A religious celebration in the same month, Tantawy had released comments alluding to "the arrogant and the pretenders who accuse others with the ugliest vice and unsubstantiated charges". In response, Egypt's press union issued a statement suggesting that Tantawy appeared to be involved in inciting and escalating a campaign against journalists and freedom of the press. Tantawy died in 2010 and was succeeded by Mohamed Ahmed el-Tayeb . In 2016 Ahmed el-Tayeb reissued
1425-463: A scholar at Al-Azhar published Man Qatala Faraj Fawda . 10th–17th centuries 19th – early 20th centuries 1910s–1950s 1950–present Al-Azhar, the historic centre of higher Islamic learning in Cairo, has undergone significant change since the late 19th century, with new regulations and reforms resulting in an expanded role for the university. 1. From madrasa to university This great mosque,
1520-410: A spirit of cooperation. Bergsträsser was certainly impressed with the work. In March 1924, Abdülmecid II had been deposed as Caliph , supreme religious and political leader of all Muslims across the world. The Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar repudiated the abolition and was part of a call from Al-Azhar for an Islamic Conference . The unsuccessful "caliphate conference" was held under the presidency of
1615-479: A supporter of then Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak , also called for a punishment of eighty lashes to "those who spread rumors" in an indictment of speculation by journalists over Mubarak's ill health and possible death. This was not the first time that he had criticized the Egyptian press regarding its news coverage nor the first time he in return had been accused by the press of opposing freedom of speech. During
1710-665: A third of the GCSE candidates can go on to study in the sixth form before applying to universities via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) while almost all Hong Kong students can study Form 6 before sitting the HKDSE examination. Relevant authorities such as the Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) and UCAS also sought to connect the results from both exam systems to open doors for
1805-624: A wide range of secular faculties were added for the first time, such as business , economics , science , pharmacy , medicine , engineering and agriculture . Before that date, the Encyclopaedia of Islam classifies the Al-Azhar variously as madrasa, center of higher learning and, since the 19th century, religious university, but not as a university in the full sense, referring to the modern transition process as "from madrasa to university". Other academic sources also refer to al-Azhar as
1900-469: Is Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam . The university is opposed to overt liberal reform of Islam and issued a fatwa against the liberal Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque in Berlin because it banned face-covering veils such as burqa and niqab on its premises while allowing women and men to pray together. The fatwa encompassed all present and future liberal mosques . Al-Azhar University's Council of Senior Scholars
1995-625: Is English and adopt IAL curriculum. Students in Macau can take the Cambridge exam board as well as the Edexcel exam board at their school. It is one of the most popular qualifications for the students who want to pursue their university study in UK, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. International Advanced Level qualification is also accepted by Macau local universities for applying for direct admission,
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#17327808169862090-433: Is a non-government school which has sixth form education and its A Level is independent of those offered by its counterpart. Along with International School Brunei which offers the program International Baccalaureate Diploma instead of A Levels after the completion of International General Certificate of Secondary Education in their lower secondary year. Another school, Hassanal Bolkiah Boys' Arabic Secondary School ,
2185-576: Is a government sixth form centre for students in the specialised Arabic stream. Instead of A Level subjects, students generally learn subjects pertaining to Islamic knowledge in Arabic medium. The schooling culminates in the sitting of Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Ugama Brunei (STPUB) , translatable as the Higher Certificate of Brunei Religious Education. They may then proceed to Islamic universities, locally or abroad such as Al-Azhar University . In
2280-789: Is based on the Cambridge International Education and similarly, conducted by the government of Cameroon in collaboration with Cambridge University. All the courses taken are related to what the candidate is willing to pursue a career in university and these courses are on a recognizable international standard for university entrance; as they are major relevant courses. You can select between 3 and 5 courses during your advanced level studies, prior to taking your advanced level examination on which. The British A-level qualifications such as GCE A-level and International A-level are widely accepted in Hong Kong as an alternative to
2375-865: Is because university offers are normally based on three A-level grades, and taking a fourth can have an impact on grades. Unlike other level-3 qualifications, such as the International Baccalaureate , A-levels have no specific subject requirements, so students have the opportunity to combine any subjects they wish to take. However, students normally pick their courses based on the degree they wish to pursue at university: most degrees require specific A-levels for entry. In legacy modular courses (last assessment Summer 2019), A-levels are split into two parts, with students within their first year of study pursuing an Advanced Subsidiary qualification, commonly referred to as an AS or AS-level, which can either serve as an independent qualification or contribute 40% of
2470-401: Is done on a specific month in a certain year. The exams are done throughout the country on the same date provided by the examination board. Examinations will depend on the cluster and core subjects in which a student shall take. There are three major clusters, namely science, business, and liberal arts plus core subjects of which are seven in total or more. Students who will then pass according to
2565-617: Is generally required across the board for university entrance, with universities granting offers based on grades achieved. Particularly in Singapore , its A-level examinations have been regarded as being much more challenging than those in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. A-levels are typically worked towards over two years. Normally, students take three or four A-level courses in their first year of sixth form , and most taking four cut back to three in their second year. This
2660-541: Is known as a junior college . The municipal government of the city of Paris uses the phrase 'sixth form college' as the English name for a lycée (high school). In England and the Caribbean, education is currently compulsory until the end of Year 13, the school year in which the pupil turns 18. In the English state educational system, pupils may either stay at a secondary school with an attached sixth form , transfer to
2755-402: Is now a separate qualification and is not required for an A-level award, although it still encompasses the first year of the full A-level content. However, unlike AS-levels in the old modular courses, they are now worth only 40% as many UCAS points as a full A-level (from 50% in the modular courses), as content from the second year of A-level is considered more academically challenging than that of
2850-628: Is one of the relics of the Isma'ili Shi'a Fatimid dynasty, which claimed descent from Fatimah , daughter of Muhammad and wife of Ali , son-in-law, and cousin of Muhammad. Fatimah was called al-Zahra (the luminous), and the institution was named in her honor. It was founded as a mosque by the Fatimid commander Jawhar al-Siqilli at the orders of the Caliph and Imam Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah as he founded
2945-444: Is one of types of education prior continuing to degree level. Modeled after the United Kingdom's sixth form, it is divided into two level, the lower sixth form and the upper sixth. It is usually taken by students at the age of 18 after completing Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia . Before finishing their sixth form education, all the students are required to sit for Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia or Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia. Starting 2023,
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3040-472: Is only compulsory until the end of Year 11. Students at sixth form college typically study for two years (known as Years 1 and 2 – Years 13 and 14 in Northern Ireland – or lower sixth and upper sixth). Some students sit AS examinations at the end of the first year, and A-level examinations at the end of the second. These exams are called C.A.P.E. (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) in
3135-635: Is presently housed in Sayyidina Ali Secondary School , sharing facilities with the secondary education. There is no sixth form education in Temburong – prospective students go to sixth form colleges in Brunei-Muara where they may stay in dormitories. Almost all sixth form schools are government schools . Five of them provide education leading up to Brunei-Cambridge GCE A Level qualification. Jerudong International School
3230-474: Is tasked with nominating the Grand Mufti of Egypt (subject to presidential approval), electing the next Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque , and is expected to be the final authority in determining if new legislation is compliant with Islamic law. Although the council's decisions are not binding (absent new legislation), it is expected that it would be difficult for the parliament to pass legislation deemed by
3325-593: The Abitur or the Baccalauréat . Several countries use A-levels as a school-leaving qualification. The A-levels taken by students in other countries may differ from the A-levels taken in the United Kingdom. Many schools in countries world-wide offer A-Levels through international cross-border exam boards, which include Cambridge International Education (CIE), Pearson Edexcel , and OxfordAQA. In Bangladesh,
3420-530: The Advanced Placement . Examinations are handled by international British boards and the program is equivalent to Higher Secondary School Certificate . Cram Schools are established all around the country which prepares the students to take the examinations as private candidates. In Seychelles , the A-level qualification is offered, with examinations conducted by Cambridge International Education (CIE). Some subjects are unique to Seychelles or have
3515-601: The Egyptian National Library and Archives . In May 2005, Al-Azhar in partnership with a Dubai information technology enterprise, IT Education Project (ITEP) launched the H.H. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum project to preserve Al-Azhar scripts and publish them online (the "Al-Azhar Online Project") to eventually publish online access to the library's entire rare manuscripts collection, comprising about seven million pages of material. Al-Azhar
3610-587: The Fatimid Caliphate as a centre of Islamic learning, its students studied the Qur'an and Islamic law , along with logic, grammar, rhetoric, and how to calculate the phases of the moon. Today it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. In 1961 additional non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum. Its library is considered second in importance in Egypt only to
3705-594: The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 transferred all institutions within the sector to the Further Education Funding Council for England (FEFC), a national agency with strategic responsibility for the operation of general further education (FE) colleges. This effectively made them legislatively indistinguishable from further education colleges. Later the FEFC's functions were taken over by
3800-610: The GCE AS and A-level are offered by Cambridge International Education (CIE) and Pearson Edexcel after completion of GCE O-level or IGCSE (CIE), and is conducted by the British Council . GCE Advanced Level qualifications are offered by some of the private, public, and international schools as an alternative to HSC ( Higher Secondary School Certificate ) offered by the Government Board of Education. It has become
3895-648: The Higher School Certificate , awarded upon successful completion of secondary school after passing of examinations jointly administered by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate and the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). Some exam papers offered, such as French , are customized to support the national educational standards. Additionally, International A-level qualifications from Edexcel are available, for which exams may be registered through
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3990-490: The Higher School Certificate . The A-level permits students to have potential access to a chosen university they applied to with UCAS points. They could be accepted into it should they meet the requirements of the university. A number of Commonwealth countries have developed qualifications with the same name as and a similar format to the British A-levels. Obtaining an A-level, or equivalent qualifications,
4085-540: The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education for both admission and employment purposes. It is one of the most popular qualifications used for university admission via the non- JUPAS channel. For example, average non-JUPAS offers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology require one to three A*s (the mid-50% range). Since the introduction of the high distinction grade (A*) in 2010,
4180-648: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC), a reorganisation that included changes in the funding and supervision of sixth form colleges. These colleges take responsibility for their own employment, pensions and pay arrangements with the support and advice of the Sixth Form Colleges' Association (SFCA, formerly SFCF). The SFCA is made up of representative principals from SFCs across the UK. The SFCA sets up several committees to deliver its range of support services for SFCs as well as facilitating lobbying work with
4275-701: The Welsh Baccalaureate and Key Skills qualifications. GCE Advanced Level The A-level ( Advanced Level ) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education , as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational authorities of British Crown dependencies to students completing secondary or pre-university education. They were introduced in England and Wales in 1951 to replace
4370-665: The dean , responsible for the teachers and students in that group. During the time of the Ottomans, the Hanafi dean came to hold a position as primus inter pares . It also had membership from the seven main Sufi orders . Al-Azhar has had an antagonistic relationship with Wahhabism . According to a 2011 report issued by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , Al Azhar is strongly Sufi in character: Adherence to
4465-404: The 'brilliant one' ... is one of the principal mosques of present-day Cairo. This seat of learning ... regained all its activity—Sunnī from now on—during the reign of Sultan Baybars. ... Al-Azhar at the beginning of the 19th century could well have been called a religious university; what it was not was a complete university giving instruction in those modern disciplines essential to the awakening of
4560-526: The 12th century, following the overthrow of the Isma'ili Fatimid dynasty, Saladin (the founder of the Sunni Ayyubid dynasty ) converted Al-Azhar to a Shafi'ite Sunni center of learning. Therefore, "he had all the treasures of the palace, including the books, sold over a period of ten years. Many were burned, thrown into the Nile , or thrown into a great heap, which was covered with sand, so that
4655-548: The A-level qualification is offered, with examinations conducted by Cambridge International Education (CIE). Some subjects are unique to Malaysia or have a format, curriculum, or syllabus that is unique to Malaysia. For instance, there are two types of A-level in Malaysia, Cambridge A-level (administered by Cambridge International Examinations) and Edexcel International Advanced Level (administered by Pearson Edexcel ). In Mauritius , A/AS-level qualifications are taken as part of
4750-605: The British A-level examination has regained its power to differentiate the very top levels of ability. According to the British Department for Education, in the academic year 2014/15, approximately 7.3%, 2.7%, 1.0%, and 0.3% of all the candidates from the GCSE cohort (548,480) achieved one to four A*s or a better result in the GCE A-level examination. This percentile rank is one important input for equating
4845-513: The British A-levels as offered through Edexcel or Cambridge International Examinations. At select examination centers, the British A-level exams may also be available to private candidates. A wide variety of subjects are offered at A-level by the five exam boards. Although exam boards often alter their curricula, this table shows the majority of subjects that are consistently available for study. Between 2015 and 2018 (first assessment Summer 2017), A-levels in England were reformed, transitioning from
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#17327808169864940-525: The British A-levels but a little bit easier than the Hong Kong A-level Examination in terms of the proportion of students achieving the highest grades, as part of the country's wider robust educational policy . In Sri Lanka , A-level qualifications are offered by governmental and non-governmental schools (Private Schools). The qualifications are awarded upon successful completion of examinations called Local A-levels while most of
5035-461: The Caribbean. A variety of vocational courses have also been added to the curriculum. There are currently over 90 sixth form colleges in England and Wales. Most of these perform extremely well in national examination league tables. In addition, they offer a broader range of courses at a lower cost per student than most school sixth forms. In a few areas, authorities run sixth-form schools which function like sixth-form colleges but are completely under
5130-426: The Egyptian government to toughen its rules and punishments against journalists. During a Friday sermon in the presence of Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and a number of ministers, Tantawy was alleged to have stated that journalism which contributes to the spread of false rumours rather than true news deserved to be boycotted, and that it was tantamount to sinning for readers to purchase such newspapers. Tantawy,
5225-400: The Egyptian parliament. The King Fuad I Edition of the Qur'an was first published on 10 July 1924 by a committee from Al-Azhar University Prominent committee members included Islamic scholar, Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Husayni al-Haddad. Noteworthy Western scholars/academics working in Egypt at the time include Bergsträsser and Jeffery . Methodological differences aside, speculation alludes to
5320-548: The English lower- and upper-sixth forms), studying Higher Grade and Advanced Higher qualifications. Higher Grade qualifications can be taken in both the fifth and sixth years. In Wales , sixth form education falls under the remit of the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament), and sixth form colleges are sources of further education alongside FE colleges and sixth forms integrated into secondary schools. They typically offer
5415-770: The English-speaking Caribbean, there are many sixth form colleges, usually attached to secondary schools. Students must usually attain a grade A-C in 1–3 in the Caribbean Examinations Council (C.X.C) CSEC examinations before proceeding onto the sixth form to sit the CAPE examinations. Students that fail these exams are not accepted into the sixth form program and can do either: courses in other further education facilities, or begin work with high school degrees. The sixth form in Malaysia
5510-557: The Grand Chancellor of Azhar in 1926 but no one was able to gain a consensus for the candidacy across the Islamic world. Candidates proposed for the caliphate included King Fuad. The pioneering Pakistani journalist Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah became the first woman to address the university in 1955. In 1961, Al-Azhar was re-established as a university under the government of Egypt's second President Gamal Abdel Nasser when
5605-973: The Mauritius Examinations Syndicate. In Nepal , A-level offered from Cambridge International Education (CIE) is the most popular and is presented by several public, private, and international institutions as an alternative to the National Examination Board (Nepal) 's 10+2 curriculum. A-level has become a popular choice for many students in Nepal. Besides A-level, International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement are also offered at this level. Nepali students generally appear for 4 subjects at A-level and 5 at AS-level. A-levels are offered in Pakistan by governmental and private institutions, along with International Baccalaureate and other international examinations like
5700-566: The Muslims in cooperation and on friendly terms, and are not enemies of the faith" ("in this case, their rights and responsibilities are the same as the Muslims so long as they do not become enemies of Islam"). Shi'a fiqh (according to a fatwa by Al-Azhar) is accepted as a fifth school of Islamic thought . In October 2007, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy , then the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, drew allegations of stifling freedom of speech when he asked
5795-829: The National Examination Standards shall be selected to join Advanced Secondary Education and are selected according to the subjects they passed the most and by their will to pursue certain subjects. There are only three core subjects to study in Advanced Level and one or more optional subjects to sit for the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE). Then students are awarded Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education only if they have passed. The pass marks are arranged according to grades and
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#17327808169865890-603: The Scottish Advanced Higher . The main examination boards which administer British A-levels in the UK are: Oxford AQA, Edexcel, Cambridge International Education (CIE), and Learning Resource Network (LRN) also offer international versions of the British A-levels in the United Kingdom and worldwide. The British variant of A/AS-levels is also taken in many Commonwealth and former Commonwealth countries, as well as in examination centers worldwide. British international schools in foreign countries generally offer
5985-410: The amount of coursework to 20% (from 40% in the old modular specification). A-levels are no longer separated into units, and students must resit all of their exams if they wish to resit the qualification. While these reforms were expected to be complete for first teaching in 2017, this was extended to 2018 to include the reforms of less common languages such as Modern Hebrew and Bengali . The AS-level
6080-487: The applicants with IAL qualification are not required to take the Joint Admission Examination for Macao Four Higher Education Institution. In India , Cambridge International Education (CIE), and Learning Resource Network (LRN) GCE Advanced Level qualifications are offered at private and international schools as an alternative to the conventional Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC). In Malaysia ,
6175-505: The central government. Colleges for the most part do not charge full-time daytime students; however, adult students (most of whom attend evening classes) may have to pay a fee (for examinations, tutors' time and other costs). There are also some sixth form colleges in the independent sector, specialising in A levels for which fees are paid; these are unconnected with the SFCA. Ofsted statistics from 2006/2007 show that sixth form colleges have
6270-618: The city for Cairo. It was begun (probably on Saturday) in Jumada al-Awwal in the year AH 359 (March/April 970 CE). Its building was completed on the 9th of Ramadan in AH 361 (24 June 972 CE). Both Caliph al-Aziz Billah and Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah added to its premises. It was further repaired, renovated, and extended by al-Mustansir Billah and al-Hafiz li-Din Allah . The Fatimid caliphs always encouraged scholars and jurists to have their study-circles and gatherings in this mosque and thus it
6365-402: The college system in Egypt, which was also adopted in Al-Azhar. Under this system, the college was a separate institution within the mosque compound, with its own classrooms, dormitories and a library. Under the Mamluks, Al-Azhar gained influence and rose in prestige. The Mamluks established salaries for instructors and stipends for the students and gave the institution an endowment. A college
6460-562: The control of the local education authorities. Unlike further education colleges, sixth-form colleges rarely accept part-time students or run evening classes, although there is one boarding sixth-form college, Peter Symonds College , which takes Falkland Islands students for sixth form. There are a few schools in Brunei providing sixth form education. Five of them are dedicated sixth form colleges, with four located in Brunei-Muara District and one in Tutong District . Belait has yet to have its own sixth form centre and sixth form education
6555-401: The council as against Islamic law. In January 2013, Al-Tayeb referred a relatively minor issue related to Islamic bonds to the council, for the first time asserting the council's jurisdiction. In 2013, the Council elected Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam to be the next Grand Mufti of Egypt. This marks the first time that the Grand Mufti would be elected by Islamic scholars since the position
6650-416: The duty of active da'wa . He has made declarations about Muslims interacting with non-Muslims who are not a threat to Muslims. There are non-Muslims living apart from Muslims and who are not enemies of Islam ("Muslims are allowed to undertake exchanges of interests with these non-Muslims so long as these ties do not tarnish the image of the faith"), and there are "the non-Muslims who live in the same country as
6745-602: The fatwa on Shia Muslims , calling Shia the fifth school of Islam and seeing no problem with conversions from Sunni to Shia Islam. However, the NGOs report that violence and propaganda against the country's Shia minority continues. Shia Muslims are frequently denied services in addition to being called derogatory names. Anti-Shia sentiment is spread through education at all levels. Clerics educated at Al-Azhar University publicly promote sectarian beliefs by calling Shia Muslims infidels and encourage isolation and marginalization of Shia Muslims in Egypt . Scholars from Al-Azhar declared
6840-471: The first year. As these reforms took place in stages, many students took a combination of modular and linear courses before all reforms were complete, with AS-levels still being part of an A-level in older modular courses. These reforms look to combat grade inflation , where the proportion of students achieving the highest grades increases year upon year, causing the value of those grades to be eroded. The modular system has also been criticised for nurturing
6935-425: The former Grand Mufti of Egypt and senior al-Azhar scholar Ali Gomaa is also a highly respected Sufi master. However, in the early 20th century, enlightened Modernist thinkers such as Muhammad Abduh led a reform of the curriculum, reintroducing a desire for legal reform through ijtihad . Subsequently, disputes were had between modernist intellectuals and traditionalists within al-Azhar. Al-Azhar now maintains
7030-575: The grades will determine whether a student will qualify to join tertiary education. A-level education is a two years education which is offered by the government and non-government schools. It is regulated by the Ministry of Education which assures both qualitative and quantitative subject matters and there is a special independent council that is responsible in composing the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE) namely The National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA). In Uganda,
7125-592: The holders of these qualifications who wish to study locally or overseas. Officially, the top distinction levels, A* in A-level and 5** in HKDSE, are currently recognized as broadly equivalent. In particular, in the light of statistical evidence, the 1% cut-off line is often set by admission offices at 2A*1A as compared to a score of 43/45 in the International Baccalaureate Diploma but the Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) instead of
7220-589: The learning happened by students memorizing their teachers' lectures and notes. In fact, blind young boys were enrolled at Al-Azhar in the hopes that they could eventually earn a living as teachers. During the Ottoman period, Al-Azhar's prestige and influence grew to the point of becoming the preeminent institution for Islamic learning in the Sunni Muslim world. During this time, the Shaykh Al-Azhar
7315-687: The letter grades would be used in many cases to offer a much more subtle view of the candidate's academic potential. Typical offers from Cambridge Medical School require 2A*1A and Oxford University Medical School require 1A*2A whereas those from the medical and dentistry schools of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong require 4A* and 3A* respectively in A-level due to fierce competition. The International Advanced Level qualifications are offered in some private schools and international schools which teaching medium
7410-406: The levels in both examinations. On the sole basis of percentile ranks and the grade statistics from HKEAA in 2017, a score of 29/35 from the best five subjects in Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education is comparable to 1A*2A in the best three British A-levels, 32/35 to 2A*1A, 33/35 to 3A* and 34/35 to 4A*. In deriving inferences from these statistics, it is important to note that slightly more than
7505-475: The marks towards a full A-level award. The second part is known as an A2 or A2-level, which is generally more in-depth and academically rigorous than the AS. The AS and A2 marks are combined for a full A-level award. The A2-level is not a qualification on its own and must be accompanied by an AS-level in the same subject for certification. A-level exams is a matriculation examination and can be compared to matura ,
7600-489: The mid 19th century, al-Azhar had surpassed Istanbul and was considered the capital of Sunni legal expertise; a main centre of power in the Islamic world; and a rival to Damascus, Mecca and Baghdad. When the Kingdom of Egypt was established in 1923, the signing of the new nation's constitution was delayed because of King Fuad I 's insistence that Al-Azhar and other religious institutions were to be subject to him and not
7695-498: The opportunity to apply for their foundation courses which only require O-level (Ordinary Level) results. A-level is an education structure after the completion of 11 years of Universal Primary Education (UPE). Universal Primary Education consists of two levels, the primary school level of seven years and ordinarily secondary level, of four years. Students are then required to sit for the National Examination which
7790-484: The overall A-level grade. This is because the universities used the grades achieved at AS-level (available to universities after a student applies during the second year of A-levels) as an indication of a student's ability and thus whether to give said student an offer. Opposition to these reforms in Wales and Northern Ireland has resulted in maintaining the modular structure of their qualification. In September 2023, it
7885-430: The priorities of Muslims are "to master all knowledge of the world and the hereafter, not least the technology of modern weapons to strengthen and defend the community and faith". He added that "mastery over modern weaponry is important to prepare for any eventuality or prejudices of the others, although Islam is a religion of peace". Sheikh Tantawy also reasserted that his is the best faith to follow and that Muslims have
7980-601: The private schools award them upon London A-levels. Local GCE Advanced Level qualifications are offered by the Department of Examinations . Private Schools ( International Schools ) in Sri Lanka provide A-level qualifications which are offered by: Passing A-levels is a major requirement for applying to local universities and for private universities in Sri Lanka . In the recent past, Universities in Sri Lanka have given
8075-469: The remaining 14 vacancies are filled, new vacancies will be appointed by the existing Council itself. All four madhahib (schools) of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence are proportionally represented on the council ( Hanafi , Shafi'i , Hanbali , Maliki ) and voting is on a majority basis. In addition to El-Tayeb, other prominent members of the Council include the outgoing Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa . The council
8170-488: The sixth form education has undergo a reform due to lack of interest among SPM leavers. Sixth form colleges has been renamed Pre-University College with the leadership has been change from Principal to Director. This is reflecting to the reality of tertiary education instead of secondary education, in which the Form 6 has been viewed as still a part of secondary school. The first comprehensive intake sixth form college in England
8265-570: The writings to Farag Foda to be blasphemous. Muhammad al-Ghazali, a member of Al-Azhar, declared Foda to be guilty of apostasy . According to Geneive Abdo , Muhammad al-Ghazali also added that anyone killing an apostate would not be punished, while according to Nathan Brown , Muhammad al-Ghazali stopped just short of condoning Foroda's assassination. Foda was assassinated in June 1992, by an Egyptian terrorist group al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya , who claimed justification from Al-Azhar's fatwas. In response,
8360-623: Was announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the A-level would be scrapped in England and merged with T-levels to form the Advanced British Standard , however this was cancelled by the Labour government after their victory in the 2024 general election . The GCE Advanced Level qualification is offered by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC). Before, this qualification
8455-402: Was built for the institution in 1340, outside of the mosque. In the late 1400s, the buildings were renovated and new dormitories were built for the students. During this time Cairo had 70 other institutions of Islamic learning, however, Al-Azhar attracted many scholars due to its prestige. The famed Ibn Khaldun taught at Al-Azhar starting in 1383. During this time texts were few and much of
8550-551: Was created in 1895. Prior to this, the Egyptian head of state made the appointment. Al-Azhar's muftis have a history of being consulted on political issues. Muhammad Ali Pasha appointed Al-Azhar muftis to the Consultative Council in 1829 and this would be repeated by Abbas I and later Isma'il Pasha . At the same time, there were many cases where the Egyptian ruler would disregard the opinion of Al-Azhar scholars. Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy noted that among
8645-730: Was established in 1966 in Luton, Bedfordshire; Luton Sixth Form College took its first intake of students in September that year. Since then sixth form colleges have spread across England and have proved popular with students, their parents, and other groups in the community. By the start of 1976, 22 non-metropolitan counties had sixth forms, totalling 68 colleges; three of these counties had tertiary colleges . From 1991, sixth form colleges were permitted to provide some vocational courses approved by BTEC . Until 1992, these colleges were controlled and funded by local education authorities (LEAs), but
8740-463: Was established, an office given to the leading scholar at the institution; prior to this the head of the institution was not necessarily a scholar. In 1748, the Ottoman pasha tried to get Al-Azhar to teach astronomy and mathematics, to little avail. During the time there wasn't a system of academic degrees, instead the shaykh (professor) determined if the student was sufficiently trained to enter
8835-494: Was founded in 1911 but was replaced in 1961 by the Center for Islamic Research. In July 2012, after the law restricting Al-Azhar University's autonomy was modified by the incoming president Mohamed Morsi , the council was reformed. The Council consists of 40 members and as of February 2013 had 14 vacancies all appointed by the current imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb , who was appointed by the prior president, Hosni Mubarak . Once
8930-640: Was jointly offered by Cambridge International Education and the Council in Zimbabwe. In 2002, there has been a move away from the GCE Advanced Level to the CXC CAPE examinations, making them a de facto university entrance examination. Some universities also require applicants to take separate entrance examinations. The International Baccalaureate and European Baccalaureate are also accepted. Al-Azhar University Founded in 970 or 972 by
9025-491: Was turned into a madrasa which has the claim to be considered as the oldest such institution still functioning. The mosque provided teaching on a variety of subjects from a variety of scholars. According to Syed Farid Alatas, these subjects included Islamic law and jurisprudence , Arabic grammar , Islamic astronomy , Islamic philosophy , and logic . Under the Fatimids, Al-Azhar also notably promoted Shia Islam . In
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