Algeria Reports Over 900,000 Students Enrolled in Quranic Schools

IQNA – Algeria’s government says more than 900,000 students have enrolled in Quranic schools and “zawiyas,” citing significant progress in international Quran recitation competitions and expanded educational initiatives.

Algeria’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Youcef Belmehdi, presided over the opening of the 2025-2026 Quranic education year on Monday, October 6, at the Ahmed Sahnoun Dar al-Quran in Bir Mourad Raïs, Algiers.

He reported that some 27,000 institutions across the country now teach or memorise the Quran, including during summer breaks. Over 900,000 students are enrolled in these Quranic education settings.

Last year, Belmehdi said, more than 1.2 million students had participated in various Quranic education structures. He noted that Algerian students frequently achieve top three positions in international Quran memorization and recitation contests, a result the government attributes to strong institutional support.

At Dar al-Quran Ahmed Sahnoun, Belmehdi added that about 3,000 Quran memorizers and students of Islamic knowledge receive instruction annually. This includes those in literacy programs and support classes at various educational levels. He observed a growing interest among students in the capital and other provinces.

In the same context, Belmehdi inaugurated new Quranic schools at the “Noor al-Hudaa” mosque in the municipality of El-Kalitus and another called “Al-Bir” in the municipality of Mohammadia.

He acknowledged contributions by local authorities and benefactors, stating that such educational and religious projects “contribute to forming a generation that preserves Algeria’s capacities and its religious identity.

Source: Agencies