Turkey's Diyanet Chief Safi Arpaguş Calls for Holistic Quran Education for Young Children

Safi Arpaguş, head of Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, addressed a workshop organized by the Education Services General Directorate on the theme “Evaluation and Future Perspective of Quran Courses for Children.” He stressed that early childhood (ages 4‑6) is a critical stage for shaping identity, personality and character, and that Quran courses should go beyond mere reading skills to support spiritual and moral development.

Arpaguş argued that success should be measured by children’s lasting love and trust for the Quran rather than memorization totals, and that assessment must include class participation, learning motivation, social interaction and a positive attitude toward the Quran. He said the Directorate is updating curricula with input from child psychologists, development specialists and educators to create a pedagogy that blends Islamic educational tradition with modern, evidence‑based approaches.