A total of 249 students of three secondary religious schools who followed the Tahfiz Integrated Curriculum (KBT) will receive a tahfiz certificate from the Education Ministry next month.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik said that in line with the government's aspiration to empower Islamic education, the certificate would provide added value to students in lower and upper secondary levels to pursue tertiary education.

He said KBT started in 2014 in three secondary schools to produce students who memorised 30 Sections of the Al-Quran and to form human beings with a religious foundation that is sound, authoritative and principled in leadership.

"Until 2018, KBT has been implemented in 17 Government Aided Religious Schools (SABK), 11 Religious Secondary Schools and four full boarding schools," he said at a signing ceremony of the Notes of Co-operation on the Award of the Tahfiz Certificate between the Education Ministry and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) in the Parliament building yesterday.

Maszlee pointed out that tahfiz education was growing and receiving the attention of parents because of the public's awareness of the importance of Al-Quran education and the advantages gained by acquiring the title of Al-Hafiz.

- Bernama