A school principal in Giza has been suspended pending ministry investigations into a folk dance performance held on campus which authorities deemed "immoral," education ministry spokesman Ahmed Khairy has said.

The 55-second video of two young women wearing the traditional galabiyya dress and dancing to a folklore song on a stage at Lycée El-Haram School went viral on Egyptian social media on Thursday.

The video has drawn online criticism, with some social media users in the conservative society deeming the dancing inappropriate.

Khairy said in comments to state TV on Thursday that an investigation committee will look into the incident.

The school principal, Lobna Mourad, said she was "surprised" by the performance, which she said only lasted for a little more than a minute before she ordered it to be cut short.

She told a nightly talk show on state TV that the celebration only featured patriotic and children's songs by the school choir, adding that she suspects the controversial performance was part of a "plot" to harm the image of the school and of herself.

She added that the celebration organiser was summoned to her office shortly after the performance was given and apologised to the parents and teachers.