Mahdzir: Tahfiz schools must abide by Education Ministry guidelines

PETALING JAYA: Tahfiz schools nationwide must abide by guidelines that have been set by the Education Ministry, including on the matter of caning.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said such standard operating procedures (SOP) need to be adhered to by all schools, regardless of the schools' administrations.
"The SOP includes areas such as discipline and the welfare of teachers and students," he told reporters at Parliament.
Mahdzhir's comment comes just a day after the death of an 11-year-old tahfiz school pupil who was allegedly beaten by an assistant warden on March 24.
Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohd Ghaddafi, a student of a tahfiz school in Kota Tinggi, Johor, had both of his legs amputated due to the injuries he sustained after being assaulted with a rubber hose for being noisy in a mosque.
Mahdzir said in the near future, all private religious schools would have to be registered under the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) after the terms and conditions had been finalised.
"Tahfiz centres will also be fully registered and will be handled by Jakim. This means that all pre-schools, kindergartens, and private religious schools, will be registered.