Palembang, NU Online
Nahdlatul Ulama Institute for human resource study and development (Lakpesdam NU) has urged the government not to discriminate Islamic educational institutions (madrasa) and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). The allocation of 20 percent of the state budget for education, as it was mandated, should also address both institutions.
The statement above was one of the excerpts of Lakpesdam’s national meeting at the Palembang’s Carrisima hotel, South Sumatra, several days ago. The three-day-meeting was attended by about 100 participants from Lakpesdam’s regional boards throughout the country.
<>The Chairman of Lakpesdam NU Nasihin Hasan said that so far the government had likely put aside the existence of the religious educational institutions. For him, both institutions had admitted or not participated in developing the nation’s mental capabilities. Pesantren in particular had also helped the government implement its duties dealing with educational affairs.According to Nasihin there were no such institutions “being equal to the pesantren. Within it, there are interactions between people for 24 hours a day. The relationship between teachers, teachers and students, teachers-students and caretakers (kiai), teachers-students-caretakers and social surroundings through Jumat prayers and majlis taklim.”
Nasihin added the youth wing of the country’s biggest Muslim organization should again and again voice the development of Indonesia’s human resources dealt with the educational sectors.
“Why we talk about the pesantren? Because NU does do more activities in it,” he said.
Lakpesdam, Nasihin added, had also urged the government to give freely health services especially for the poor people living in the grass root level.
The nahdliyin-based organization has also urged the government to immediately take stand against the poverty. The government needs to prove through its pro-people policies boosting economic guarantees and life quality as well. (rif)