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Learning in Ancient Egypt

© Jodee Redmond

In ancient Egypt, only boys who were studying to be scribes went to school. Like today, students were taught to read and to write. They were also taught to do arithmetic. This was done to prepare them for their future work as priests, tax collectors, government officials, and artists.

Good handwriting was very important and the children spent a lot of time copying symbols. Papyrus was very expensive, so the young scribes would start by using pieces of limestone or broken pottery to write on. A piece of reed (with a frayed end) was used for a brush.

Classes started very early in the morning and were finished by lunch time. (It was too hot to study in the afternoon.)

Teachers would have the students copy lines as punishment for bad behaviour. Classic stories were probably used for this purpose. If a boy was idle (not doing his work), he would be beaten.

The pharoah's children had their own tutors and the children of ordinary citizens were taught at home. Girls would help their mothers with running the household. As they grew older, they would take on more responsibility for chores. This was usually all the education they would get. Boys would also be taught at home. In addition to learning about religion and how to behave towards other people, they would likely be trained in whatever type of work their fathers did.

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