Azlan Othman & Lyna Mohamad
The enrolment of new Year 7 students to Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (ITQSHHB) was held yesterday.
Forty-one male and 41 female students were enrolled in two locations. The male students registered at ITQSHHB hostel in Jalan Tutong while female students were enrolled at the institute’s Ong Sum Ping Condominium lobby.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Haji Mohammad Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the MoRA Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang were present to oversee the male students’ admission.
The minister also took a closer look at an Al-Quran reading session and visited the administration office and classrooms.
Fazidahwati binti Haji Mohd Salleh, mother of two students enrolling in the course, said Mohd Norfaqrul Iman Shah bin Noorshahzihan and Mohd Norfaqrul Aiman Shah bin Noorshahzihan were initially not interested in joining the institute. However, after much persuasion, they decided to enrol.
She said they were trained to perform the prayers five times a day and recite Al-Quran.
Meanwhile, in Ong Sum Ping, Education Officer at the Female Affairs Division Siti Wardah binti Haji Ibrahim said the students will participate in several activities during the orientation period from yesterday to January 23.
The activities such as talks, briefings and workshops are designed to help them adapt to the new environment and refine Al-Quran recitation skills.
Like previous enrolments, the students will stay at the hostel and allowed home once a week and during public holidays. This helps the student to learn independence, be more disciplined and better learn Al-Quran in a conducive environment.
