Minister strive for Islamic schools as safest places for children

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar reaffirmed the commitment to fostering a safe, comfortable, and violence-free educational environment in Islamic schools through the launch of the National Movement for Safe and Comfortable Spaces for Children.

"We want to ensure that every Indonesian child studying at pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), madrasah (Islamic schools), or any other educational institution is in a safe, comfortable, and dignified environment," Umar said during the launch of the movement at the Al-Hamidiyah Islamic Boarding School in Depok, West Java, on Sunday.

Protecting children is rooted in religious teachings and inseparable from the Islamic educational traditions that have long thrived within pesantren and madrasah​​​​​​​, Umar said.

Addressing violence cases frequently linked to religious educational institutions, Umar noted such incidents occurred across various types of educational establishments, not only in pesantren nor madrasah. Therefore, he urged all stakeholders to view the issue as a shared challenge.

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Umar explained the campaign was built on several pillars, namely strengthening regulations and governance; prevention through the promotion of a culture against violence; providing safe facilities, establishing grievance and conducting victims support; and building cross sector collaboration with ministries, local governments, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, the media, and families.

Regarding the prevention, he said the Ministry continues to develop a Love-Based Curriculum (KBC) to be implemented in Islamic schools.

The curriculum was expected to improve the relationships between teachers and students, strengthen care for the environment, and foster better relationships with the community.​​​​​​​

Umar further said the Ministry will tighten the governance of pesantren management. This includes clarifying the definitions and requirements for establishing a pesantren to prevent the system from being exploited by entities operating under the guise of religious education institutions.

He called on pesantren leaders, teachers, parents, and the public to work together to create an open, safe learning environment that prioritises compassion.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Raka Adji

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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