World Bulletin / News Desk

Egypt's Al-Azhar University on Tuesday postponed the start of the second semester of the 2013/14 academic year by one week.

"The delay was taken due to ongoing construction on campus," the university said in a statement.

Originally set to start on February 22, the second semester had been postponed until March 8.

Since the beginning of the academic year in September, many Egyptian educational institutions have turned into boiling centers of anger, with students – especially those who support ousted president Mohamed Morsi – staging frequent demonstrations on campus.

Al-Azhar University – a traditional stronghold of students affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood – saw the most regular protests.

Violence used by police to counter the protests only triggered more anger on the part of the students, who have also demonstrated to demand the release of hundreds of colleagues jailed for "rioting" and "vandalizing public property."

A number of students were killed in the violence.