Sri Al Afsari Not Registered With JAIS, Pupils Ineligible For UPKK Exam

SHAH ALAM, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has confirmed that Sekolah Rendah Islam (SRI) Al Afsari in Saujana Putra, near here, is not registered with JAIS, resulting in 80 pupils not allowed to sit for the Ujian Penilaian Kelas Al-Quran dan Fardhu Ain (UPKK) this year.

Its director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the UPKK examination is organised by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), with JAIS serving as the intermediary body in the state, subject to the examination requirements set by JAKIM.

He said SRI Al Afsari is not registered with JAIS as stipulated under Section 12 of the Control of Islamic Religious Schools Enactment 1988 (Amendment 2001).

“Since the school is not registered with JAIS, JAKIM, as the organiser of the UPKK examination, has not permitted pupils from the school to sit for the 2025 UPKK examination,” he said in a statement today.

The statement was issued following media reports that 80 students from a private religious primary school in Puchong were unable to sit for the UPKK as their names were not registered as examination candidates, partly because the school was not registered with JAIS, the implementing agency for the state’s Kelas Al-Quran dan Fardhu Ain (KAFA) education system.

Mohd Shahzihan said the school was previously known as SRI Al Fakri and was only granted temporary establishment approval on Nov 29, 2012.

He said JAIS had reminded the school to apply for full registration after the temporary period ended, but the application was only resubmitted by SRI Al Afsari on Dec 21, 2023.

JAIS would consider full registration once the school complies with the prescribed curriculum and requirements, including obtaining health and safety certification from the Ministry of Health and the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), as well as planning approval from the local authority (PBT) to convert the status of the school premises from shop lot to educational institution.

“At the moment, SRI Al Afsari cannot be registered under the law as it has yet to obtain JBPM’s endorsement and does not have PBT approval for planning permission,” he said.

The UPKK examination is scheduled to be held from Nov 17 to 20.

-- BERNAMA