Many can't read the Koran

Many can't read the Koran

JAKARTA (JP): As many as 25 percent of Moslems in Indonesia
cannot read the Koran in its original Arabic script, chairman of
the Indonesian Ulema Council said yesterday.

Hasan Basri said that one of the ways of reducing the number
of people who are Koran illiterate is through Koran reading
contests, both at local and national levels, which are being
encouraged by the government, Antara reported yesterday.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Central Kalimantan's
Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur'an (Koran reading contest) in Buntok,
Barito Selatan regency, Hasan said he was not too worried about
the high rate of Koran illiteracy because the number is
declining.

"A Koran reading contest is one solution out of this problem,"
he said.

He also noted the rapid growth of Koran reading classes at
Islamic kindergartens throughout Indonesia.

Official statistics state that approximately 87 percent of
Indonesia's 194 million population are Moslems.

Hasan Basri said he was more worried about the shortage of
religious teachers at schools nationwide.

He attributed this problem to a declining interest among
people to take up teaching as a profession, particularly teaching
religion. (emb)