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| Speakers at the 2022 National Coordination Meeting for the Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding School (Photo: Haki Public Relation) |
The number of Islamic boarding schools (Ponpes) under the auspices of Muhammadiyah continues to grow. At the latest, there are 440 Islamic boarding schools spread throughout Indonesia, with more than 67 thousand students. That number continues to grow from day to day. It explained the data in the 5th National Coordination Meeting of Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding Schools at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) last Wednesday (31/8). Also present were hundreds of representatives from Islamic boarding schools throughout Indonesia.
Related to this, the Coordinating Minister for PMK RI, Prof. Dr. Muhadjir Effendy, MAP, explained that the government had given specific attention to the existence of pesantren. One is through Law number 18 of 2019 concerning Islamic Boarding Schools. That way, Islamic boarding schools that have existed for hundreds of years have been recognized and received legal certainty and protection.
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"This regulation also has big implications in business, education model, budget, and others. So I suggest that my friends can study and understand the regulations of Islamic boarding schools, including their derivative products. There need to be creative and fresh thoughts to fix and provide innovation in regulation," he said.
Muhadjir said that the Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding School did not only provide education. However, it must also be able to give provisions for its students to be able to realize the vision and mission of Muhammadiyah. In addition, he also hopes that each pesantren can have a deep-rooted corporate culture so that there are superior characteristics.
On the same occasion, the Chairman of PW Muhammadiyah East Java, Dr. Saad Ibrahim, MA. I was quoting what anthropology professor from Boston University, Robert Hefner said that Islamic art could be seen from Muhammadiyah. This can not be separated from the Muhammadiyah movement, which combines science and religion, even since its inception.
"So, Muhammadiyah pesantren must be able to give more value to students. Not only focusing on transferring religious knowledge but also being able to provide world knowledge needed to advance the people," he said.
The enthusiasm of the representatives of each pesantren is also high. This was conveyed by the Chairman of the Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding School Development Institute, Dr. Maskuri M.Ed. According to him, high enthusiasm is also directly proportional to the spirit of fostering pesantren.
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Maskuri explained that in 2015, Muhammadiyah pesantren reached 127. Now, that number has soared to 440 and continues to grow yearly. This development certainly provides new challenges, especially in human resources (HR).
"If it is calculated, one small pesantren needs approximately 14 ustads and ustadzah. So, to fulfill the human resources in each pesantren, we must have 6160 qualified and superior ustad. That is, if the pesantren is small, a different situation will arise in the large pesantren," he explained.
That can also maximize the actions of pesantren by building synergy with Muhammadiyah universities (PTM). According to the Chancellor of UMM, Dr. Fauzan, M.Pd. PTM will, without a doubt, help develop various things. There are many programs that students and religious teachers can access. Mainly about entrepreneurship.
"Islamic knowledge and science and technology are important. But what is no less important are life skills. So I think PTM, especially UMM, can fill this aspect to give birth to a complete and superior generation," he concluded. (apg/wil)
