Kottab

Al Kottab (Arabic الكتَّاب) is an old fashioned method of education in the Arab land. It consists mainly of a teacher (a sheikh), and a group of pupils usually sitting in front of him on the ground.

Main curricula are religion (islamic religion) and Arabic language, actually Kottabs have been for long considered as a place for memorizing the Quran only.

With the developing of modern schools these old classes declined, almost disappeared in our present time. Still, there are few Kottabs in some areas; beside school, they are used for memorizing Quran.