Govt committed to ensure tahfiz students enjoy facilities like in government schools

BAGAN DATUK: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said that the government was committed to ensure tahfiz students enjoy similar facilities as those in government schools.
He advised the students to work and study hard to acquire knowledge, not only in Quran, to become professional 'Huffaz' (a person who memorises the Quran).
He said the ability to memorise all the chapters in the Quran was something impressive and to be proud of, but as tahfiz students, they should also acquire knowledge in other fields.
"The Huffaz, where will there go from here? Just be a housewife or a religious teacher (ustaz) at a religious school or an imam of a mosque.
"This is because, although you can memorise the Quran, if you do not pass SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination), there is nowhere to go to study, even if you have a foreign degree, but no SPM qualification, you cannot get a job with the government.
"That is why proactive measures have to be taken to get you to pass the SPM first," he said at a gathering with tahfiz students in Bagan Datuk at Dewan Hajjah Tuminah, Sungai Nipah Darat here today.
The programme, organised by the Bagan Datuk Islamic Religious Office, was attended by about 200 students from seven tahfiz schools in the constituency.
Ahmad Zahid, who is the incumbent Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament, said from past experiences, tahfiz students could not continue their studies to a higher level because they did not have the SPM or Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) qualification.
Hence, to produce more Huffaz working as professionals in the country, Ahmad Zahid said a Maahad Tahfiz Darul Ridzuan would be built in Pekan Bagan Datuk.
The school will take 1,000 tahfiz graduates a year and they will be required to sit for the SPM and STAM, he added.
He said the target of producing 125,000 Huffaz nationwide through the 2050 National Transformation (TN50) was important for Malaysia to become a prosperous, peaceful, harmonious and blessed country. — Bernama