KUCHING: A total of 269 Tabika (kindergarten) classes under the Department of Community Development (KEMAS) in Sarawak have been screened for the implementation of the Taman Bimbingan Kanak-kanak (Tabika) Pre-Tahfiz programme.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Rubiah Wang, said this initiative is part of the government’s effort to produce 100,000 huffaz (Quran memorisers) by 2026.
She also said the Tabika classes will benefit 2,964 Muslim children.
“In Sarawak, we have more than 1,000 KEMAS Tabika classes, and so far, 269 classes have been screened for the implementation of this Pre-Tahfiz Tabika programme.
“We are executing this using the existing capacity. That is why last year and this year, we are still in the process of reskilling and upskilling KEMAS teachers and instructors as they will serve as the educators,” she said.
She said this to reporters after officiating at the closing ceremony of the Sarawak State-Level IFEST 2024 at the Sarawak branch of the Institute for Rural Advancement (Infra) campus here on Sunday.
Rubiah added that the pilot project for the Pre-Tahfiz Tabika began last year in Sarawak, with two classes currently running: one at the KEMAS Tabika in the Kota Samarahan District Police Headquarters (IPD) and another at the KEMAS Tabika in Petra Jaya, here.
“The programme has been progressing well, and we are working to expand these classes gradually with the resources available.
“In Peninsular Malaysia, implementation has been swift, but in Sabah and Sarawak, we are still reskilling during the school holidays, which has caused some delays. God willing, we will proceed as soon as possible,” she said.
