Kuala Lumpur: More than 70 percent of the nearly 60,000 preschoolers at the Pre-Tahfiz kindergartens under the Community Development Department (KEMAS) managed to memorise 10 short chapters of the Quran (Juz Amma) last year, said KEMAS director-general Datuk Mohd Hanafiah Man. He emphasized that this achievement among five- and six-year-olds was commendable and empowered them to continue to nurture their love for the Quran.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Hanafiah highlighted that during a recent Pre-Tahfiz kindergarten briefing, it was reported that three- and four-year-olds from other preschools are also joining the programme, which KEMAS plans to monitor closely. "InsyaAllah, we will see an increase in the number of Pre-Tahfiz children this year as the number of classes will also be expanded," he told reporters after observing the operation of KEMAS kindergartens on the first day of school.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently stated that KEMAS would expand Quranic education in the early childhood education system by establishing 4,000 more Pre-Tahfiz Kindergarten classes, involving 60,000 children nationwide this year. Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as the Rural and Regional Development Minister, noted that the initiative reflects the government's commitment to ensuring Al-Quran education remains a cornerstone in building a morally upright, knowledgeable, and competitive young generation.

Meanwhile, Mohd Hanafiah noted that the programme was initiated at 100 kindergartens involving 1,500 children in 2023 and has since attracted 60,000 preschoolers in 2024. This demonstrates a strong commitment to nurturing a Quran-literate generation with balanced character and spiritual values. According to him, KEMAS will explore ways to expand the initiative, including encouraging parents to enroll their children in the memorisation programme even after they have completed their early education.

For those who have memorised more than 20 chapters, KEMAS is offering parents the option to send their children back to the kindergarten in the afternoon to continue with the memorisation programme, known as the Pelita@KEMAS programme. Furthermore, he mentioned that 229,325 children aged four, five, and six have enrolled in KEMAS kindergartens nationwide, with 10,025 in Negeri Sembilan.

"We are planning to have an open registration next year. Currently, we are using a first come, first serve approach, but we want to see the response from parents. We hope the government will support this initiative," he added.