UNU Jogja Maps New Students’ Qur’an Reading Skills to Strengthen Student Guidance

Yogyakarta, Indonesia — The Directorate of Islamic Affairs at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) held a Qur’an reading assessment for new students in the 2026/2027 academic year on Thursday, October 15. The assessment aims to map students’ initial Qur’an reading skills and serve as a basis for developing religious guidance programs on campus.

Director of Islamic Affairs at UNU Jogja, Ahmad Hujaj Nurrohim, said the assessment was designed to measure new students’ ability to read the Qur’an. This mapping is necessary to identify students who have met the required reading standards and those who still need further guidance.

According to Ahmad, the ability to read the Qur’an is one of the fundamental skills expected of UNU Jogja students. As a university grounded in the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah An-Nahdliyah, UNU Jogja not only encourages students to develop their academic knowledge but also to strengthen their religious understanding and practice.

He explained that Qur’an reading skills are important in supporting students as they study Islamic disciplines in class. These skills are also expected to equip students to interact with and contribute to society.

“This is a fundamental skill that Muslim new students need to master. In the future, they will have extensive interactions within the campus environment, both through classroom learning and engagement with the wider community, enabling them to put the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah An-Nahdliyah into practice,” he said.

The assessment divided students into two categories: those who met the passing criteria and those who required further guidance. This classification provides a basis for the Directorate of Islamic Affairs to tailor its guidance programs to each student’s level of ability.

Of the 470 students assessed, 392, or 83.40 percent, passed. Meanwhile, 74 students, or 15.74 percent, did not meet the passing criteria and require further guidance. The remaining four students were non-Muslims.

The assessment evaluated several aspects of Qur’an reading skills, including the correct articulation of Arabic letters (makharijul huruf), the application of Qur’anic recitation rules (tajwid), and reading fluency. The results will serve as a basis for the Directorate of Islamic Affairs to provide guidance throughout one semester or until students can read the Qur’an fluently.

“The assessment results will serve as a reference for providing guidance to students throughout one semester or until they can read the Qur’an fluently,” he concluded.

Through follow-up guidance programs, UNU Jogja hopes that students who have not yet met the passing criteria will gradually improve their Qur’an reading skills as part of the university’s efforts to strengthen Islamic education on campus.

Reporter: Latifah