Ahmadhiyya School Introduces Compulsory Thaana And Arabic Writing

Ahmadhiyya School has made Thaana, the Dhivehi script, and Arabic writing compulsory for students from grades one to eight as part of efforts to strengthen language skills among younger learners.

The decision follows concerns that many students complete their schooling without being able to write their names in Arabic, while only a small number are able to write Thaana characters correctly according to established rules. The school has also observed a weakening connection between children and the Dhivehi language in recent years, partly attributed to an increasing tendency for parents to communicate with their children in English at home.

The school first introduced dedicated Thaana and Arabic writing teachers for students in grades seven and eight two years ago. From the beginning of the current academic year, the programme has been expanded to include all students from grades one through eight, with specialised teachers hired for both subjects and the subjects formally added to students’ report books.

Term examinations will be conducted for Thaana and Arabic writing, and the results will be reflected in students’ academic reports.

The school has also noted concerns raised by SSC examination markers, who have reported difficulties in reading students’ handwriting due to incorrectly written letters, sometimes requiring guesswork during the marking process.