Malaysia Tahfiz Recognition Standard To Be Implemented Next Year - Ahmad Zahid

BAGAN DATUK, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The government today launched the Malaysia Tahfiz Recognition Standard (SPTM), which will be implemented in stages beginning next year, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the SPTM aims to enhance the quality of tahfiz education and serve as a formal recognition mechanism for huffaz (memorisers of the Quran) and tahfiz institutions.

Under the initiative, as part of efforts to encourage a culture of excellence, the 10 best tahfiz institutions that achieve outstanding performance based on the SPTM criteria will each receive an incentive of RM50,000.

“This is not merely a figure or a monetary reward, but a motivational boost to encourage tahfiz institutions to continuously improve their quality and best practices, and to become centres of excellence that can, insya-Allah, serve as models for tahfiz institutions in Malaysia,” he said.

He said this when officiating the opening of the 2025 Huffaz Gathering and Nusantara Da’wah Symphony at Masjid Tuminah Hamidi here today.

Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

More than 25,000 huffaz from across the country, along with members of the public, participated in the gathering.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said that under the National Tahfiz Education Policy (DPTN), the tahfiz education ecosystem will continue to be strengthened through clear policies, standards and governance frameworks.

“Through the implementation of the DPTN 1.0, it has been found that 84 per cent of the policy measures have been coordinated and implemented across tahfiz maahad nationwide.

“Meanwhile, in terms of tahfiz education as a growing education ecosystem, there are currently 1,401 tahfiz institutions involving 10,081 asatizah (teachers) and a total of 61,494 students participating in this new hafiz or huffaz education ecosystem. Alhamdulillah,” he said.

He said that under DPTN 2.0, several key instruments have been strengthened, including the development of the Malaysia Tahfiz Education Model (MPTM).

“…as well as the enhancement of the Malaysia Tahfiz Certificate (STM) 2.0 through the implementation of the Graded Memorisation Certificate (SPHB), the provision of a huffaz financing scheme, and the coordination of efforts under the STM to produce huffaz who are competitive, skilled and relevant to current needs,” he said.

Meanwhile, he also highlighted achievements in tahfiz education at local institutions of higher learning, including Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN).

“I would like to share that at UniKL, 90 per cent of the students in the Faculty of Aerospace are huffaz,” he said.

“Meanwhile, 93 per cent of the students in the Faculty of Marine Engineering have become huffaz. In addition, at UNITEN, there are 534 huffaz pursuing engineering programmes, including civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and it has been found that most of these students achieved a CGPA of 3.5 and above in their examinations. This is a commendable achievement,” he said.

At the same event, Ahmad Zahid also witnessed the signing of 10 strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (JAKIM) and state religious agencies, institutions of higher learning and skills institutions, involving three main programmes, including the Diploma in Tahfiz al-Quran and al-Qiraat, and the SPHB programme.

The gathering was further enlivened by a talk by renowned preacher Ustaz Prof Dr Abdul Somad Batubara.

-- BERNAMA