Female-only driving school aims to challenge gender stereotypes in Egypt

A female-only driving school is hoping to motivate more women to get behind the wheel and even under the car bonnet, if not learn the basics of car maintenance.

At Nairouz Talaat’s driving school, Direxiona, meaning steering wheel in Arabic, all its driving instructors are women and lessons are given to women only.

The school also provides lessons in car maintenance – from how to check water levels and change oil to road safety and changing a tyre.

One of the school’s students, Noura Fahmy, expresses her satisfaction of learning to drive with a female instructor.

“I tried to learn several times with other instructors, but they were all men, and I felt that they did not have the patience to teach me, so it put me under pressure. I felt as if I was being judged, it was more of an emotional thing, I just wasn’t very comfortable,” she said.

Talaat believes that confident drivers should also learn about car upkeep, road safety and how to deal with breakdowns and emergencies.

“If a woman is faced with a problem she is afraid, why? Because nobody took the time to make her aware of what she should do, and of specific checks on the car that must be done before starting a journey, such as checking the water and oil levels. They need to be taught how they’ll react should they face a problem while on the road, instead,” she said.

Students can book lessons online through Direxiona’s Facebook page, which Talaat hopes will encourage even more women to take up driving and empower them to learn new skills.