Egypt: Al-Azhar University head claims to 'constantly monitor' students

The dean of Egypt's oldest degree-granting university told students on Wednesday that he was monitoring them day and night to ensure "disruptive acts" did not occur on campus.

Abd al-Hayy Azab told students he was keeping them under surveillance as he was justifying a recent campus-wide ban on water bottles and glass containers.

"I have cameras filming you from the moment you get out of bed until you come to university," Azab said, producing a round of muffled chuckles from the group of undergraduates.

I have cameras filming you from the moment you get out of bed until you come to university - Abd al-Hayy Azab

 

"Bottles are banned because a number of trouble makers were filling them with petrol and using them to create chaos in the university," said the head of the teaching establishment once renowned as Islam's most prestigious.

Al-Azhar University has frequently been the scene of clashes between students protesting against the militarym government and security forces.

The university has ramped up security measures with the start of the new academic year on Saturday. According to local media, large numbers of police have been being stationed at the university's gates.

Last year, the Ministry of Education contracted a private security firm to oppose anti-government protests and search students entering public universities, which in turn led to more protests.

Hundreds of students have been killed and arrested by police since the military coup in July 2013, which ousted Islamist President Mohammad Morsi.

Hundreds of other students have been expelled for allegedly participating in protests and "rioting on campus".

The president of Cairo University recently made the controversial decision to ban women faculty members from wearing the full-face veil while on the job.