Indonesian Government to Strengthen Education in Islamic Boarding School

Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian Ministry of Religion has prepared a strengthening and development program to assist the implementation of Islamic boarding school education (pesantren) in 2021.

“We have prepared a number of pesantren affirmation programs. We call it a program to strengthen and develop Islamic boarding schools, ”said Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in Jakarta on Wednesday.

“This program includes aspects of academics, institutions, Human Resources (HR), even assistance with infrastructure,” he continued.

The strengthening of human resources, said the Minister of Religion would be carried out among others by providing affirmation programs for the improvement of the academic qualifications of pesantren’s teachers, especially Ma’had Aly. “We will provide postgraduate scholarships for Ma’had Aly lecturers,” he explained.

Another affirmation is the assistance in the certification program for preacher of pesantren, especially those who teach at Ma’had Aly, formal diniyah, and mu’adalah.

“We are targeting there are 6,000 pesantren educators who can receive the benefits of this scholarship or certification,” said the Minister of Religion.

Another affirmation is in the form of improving infrastructure. The Ministry of Religion has prepared assistance for 1,500 Islamic boarding schools, 116 formal diniyah education (PDF), 130 Muadalah Education Units, 70 Madrasah Diniyah Takmiliyah, and 140 Al-Quran education.

“The assistance for other infrastructure facilities in the form of building a library and laboratory for Islamic boarding schools,” said the Minister of Religion.

Director General of Islamic Education Muhammad Ali Ramdhani added that the Ministry of Religion has also allocated an incentive budget for preachera of pesantren. The amount is IDR 250 thousand.

For the students, there are two types of assistance prepared. First, School Operational Assistance (BOS) Pesantren. “We have allocated a budget of more than IDR 162 billion for more than IDR 160 thousand students,” he explained.

Second, the Islamic Boarding School’s Smart Indonesia Program (PIP). “There is around IDR 145 billion allocated to help more than 188 thousand students,” he said.

“Affirmation programs for the oldest and uniquely Indonesian Islamic education institution will continue to be carried out, even be improved,” he continued. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)