Quran will be added to the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams starting next year, says Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu.
The SSC exams and the O-level exams are end-of-Grade 10 assessments that Maldivian students sit for. The SSC exams are currently conducted for the two subjects - Islam and Dhivehi language.
In his address on Tuesday on occasion of the academic new year, Shafeeu announced plans to expand SSC exams to include Quran in order to cultivate love and interest for the holy book among school students.
Shafeeu said that Quran will be officially added to the SSC exams next year.
He also said that a pilot program will be held this year prior to this.
Quran is taught as a subject up until the end of Grade 10. However, students do not sit for an exam on it during the O-levels.