Jordanians Criticize Awqaf Ministry’s Approach to Quranic Activities
The ministry recently ordered the reform of the activities of the clubs, which are affiliated to Jordan’s Quran Memorization Society, according to Arabi21.com website.
The ministry says the decision, which was announced in March, is meant to organize and improve the activities of Quranic clubs for kids, but people and Quranic elites of the country see as an attempt to close them.
According to the decision, managers of the clubs need to work fulltime and there will be limits to the working hours of the teachers. Also, teachers need to receive permission from the ministry for teaching the Quran.
Another restriction introduced recently is that the clubs cannot teach anything other than the Quran and Islamic values.
The clubs offer Quran teaching programs for kids aged 3 to 5 years of age.
The Quran Memorization Society said the clubs, established 31 years ago, had been operating under the supervision of the culture ministry before the Awqaf ministry said it should supervise the activities.
The society called on the government to reconsider the decision so that it would not negatively affect the Quranic activities of the clubs.
Jordanian activists have launched a campaign in social media to voice their objection to the government restrictions imposed on the activities of Quran memorization centers.
