Directives to support Kuttabs in Egypt’s Halaib and Shalateen triangle

CAIRO – 11 January 2025: In a bid to disseminate the revival of the Kuttabs (the pre-school religious institutes that teach Arabic and Quran recitation) nationwide, Minister of Awqaf [Endowment] Osama Al-Azhari directed follow up and provide all support for Kuttabs in the Red Sea in general and Halaib, Shalateen triangle, the border area with Sudan, in particular.

The Minister visited the Halaib abd Shalateen area, and listened to some students who learn and recite Quran at some Kuttabs there.

Kuttabs protects the youth and young generations from the dangers of extremism in all its forms, preserves identity, and instills love of the homeland, besides teaching them the principles of reading, writing and arithmetic.

On December 22, 2024, the Ministry of Awqaf [Endowments] launched an initiative to reopen Kuttabs across the nation. The initiative aims to revive the Kuttabs’ role in reciting and memorzing the Noble Quran to prepare children for schools. The initiative was launched in Kafr El Sheikh Shehata village, Tala Center, Menoufia Governorate, according to a statement from the Ministry of Endowment on January 3.

Since the launch of the initiative, the ministry has received thousands of applications to open Kuttabs, Spokesman of the Ministry of Endowment Osama Raslan told Egypt Today, noting that the ministry plans to establish a central Kuttab in each of Egypt’s 4,500 villages over a year. This is in addition to establishing Kuttabs in the annexes of some large mosques and other Maqraas (places where groups of people gather to recite Quran).

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Additional reporting by Samar Samir