The newly appointed Minya governor Essam Bedawy vowed to legalize a primarily school which pupils and villagers started to construct earlier this month after seven years of official rejection.
Residents of the village of Reedy, 80 km from the city of Minya, began building their own school because the nearest elementary school is 3 km away in the neighboring village.
The pupils face risks from criminal elements dangerous traffic and in order to classes each day, often making the journey both ways on foot. For the past seven years, local authorities have rejected their request to begin construction on a patch of land they selected for the purpose.
Former Minya Governor Tareq Nasr told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the construction project is taking place on government land and that it will be demolished if it is proven illegal.
However, newly-appointed governor Bedawy told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Saturday that he is planning to visit the village himself, and will accelerate the process of legalizing the school building as this patch of state land is unused.
However, Bedawy said he is keen on convincing Reedy's residents that the General Authority for Educational Buildings (GAEB) should build the school to guarantee a safe and appropriate school building for the kids.
The governor instructed the Head of Bani Mazar City Council to postpone any demolition order pertaining to the building. Bedawy expressed his understanding of the people's motivations in building the school.
