Punjab makes naazrah Quran mandatory for all schools

• PTCB makes “Naazrah Quran” a separate compulsory subject for grades I-V.
• Decision taken under Punjab Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Act, 2018.
• The decision will come into effect from the forthcoming Academic Session 2021-22.

The Punjab government has decided to make Naazrah Quran education compulsory for classes 1-5 for schools across the province, a notification said Thursday.

The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB), in the notification, said the Punjab Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Act, 2018 entails that teaching of the Holy Quran is compulsory for Muslim students in all educational institutions — public and private sector — as well as madrassas.

"The Punjab Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran (Amendment) Act, 2021 binds the teaching of the Holy Quran as a separate compulsory subject for Muslim students in all educational institutions in Punjab," the notification said.

In the light of this, the PTCB in its 83rd board meeting revised the scheme of studies and included the subject of “Naazrah Quran” in grades I-V as a separate compulsory subject.

The schedule:

In the initial step, all educational institutions in Punjab shall teach Naazrah Quran in grades I-V as a separate compulsory subject with effect from the forthcoming Academic Session 2021-22.

Meanwhile, the PCTB has initiated the due process to introduce the “Teaching of the Holy Quran” as a separate compulsory subject for all Grades — I-XII — and it will also be conveyed as soon as possible, the notification said.