IPOH, Nov 21 — Fourteen of the state’s 102 tahfiz schools, where Quran memorisation are taught, are not registered with the state’s religious department, the state legislative assembly was told today.
State Islamic Religious Affairs, Islamic Education and Personality Development Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria said of the total, 24 of them are in the process of being registered.
“The majority of the state’s tahfiz schools are privately run and only five are operated by the state,” said the Barisan Nasional’s Belanja assemblyman.
Replying to an oral question from Abdul Yunus Jamhari (PKR — Kuala Kurau), Nizar said the state had organised several meetings with operators of tahfiz schools since August.
“Among them a briefing on safety and fire procedure on August 14 and management course for tahfiz schools held between November 6 and 9,” he added.
He also told Abdul Yunus that the state has yet to take actions against operators of tahfiz schools that fail to follow the safety procedures.
“We will give them opportunities by helping them and giving them advice so that they follow the safety regulations set,” he added.
He said the schools will only be closed down after the school management refused to follow safety regulations set by the authorities.
To a supplementary question from Datuk Siti Salmah Mat Jusak (BN – Lubuk Merbau), Nizar said any tahfiz schools that are more than one-storey high needed to have two escape routes.
“The material used to construct the building should not be highly flammable,” he said.
Tahfiz schools, he added, should also be equipped with ample fire safety equipment which include fire extinguishers, alarms and fire hydrants.