HNW encourages the Ministry of Religion to accommodate 3 types of Islamic colleges approved by law

Jakarta (MidLand) – Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly Vice President Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) encouraged the Ministry of Religion to accommodate the three types of Islamic boarding schools that have been legalized in the Islamic Boarding Schools Law in the distribution of Islamic boarding schools programs endowment funds, including scholarship/scholarship programs.

He also mentioned the scholarship program that comes from the endowment funds of Islamic colleges so that it does not become a new problem among the internal custodians of the three types of Islamic colleges.

“I appreciate the Ministry of Religion for following up on our aspirations so that endowment funds of Islamic colleges can be realized equitably, one form of which is scholarships to improve the quality of Islamic colleges students and healthcare workers without discrimination. The Ministry of Religion must ensure that all Islamic colleges recognized by the Islamic Colleges Law receive information and equal opportunities to access and benefit from this scholarship program,” HNW said in its statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

Furthermore, he explained that he has received aspirations from Islamic college circles regarding non-degree programs for which selection is currently underway in the form of a scholarship preparation program.

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Based on brochure issued by the Ministry of Religion, HNW continued, on General Requirements and Special Requirements, HNW said, the Ministry of Religion did not mention all types of Islamic colleges recognized by the Islamic Colleges Law.

“So some assistants of Islamic colleges, of a type not mentioned in the announcement of the Ministry of Religion, are very concerned about discrimination or failure to implement the provisions of the Law on Islamic Colleges adequately and correctly. So, if this is allowed that to happen, then even if they register and complete the administrative process, there is a chance of passing.” These grants are small, or even they are positioned from the beginning so as not to go through the administration,” she explained.

Citing law number 18 of 2019 on Islamic colleges, HNW said, Article 5 clearly states that Islamic colleges consist of three Islamic colleges. First, Islamic colleges provide education in the form of Yellow Book study. Secondly, Islamic boarding schools providing education in the form of Dirasah Islamiah with Muallimin education model. Third, Islamic colleges that provide education in other forms integrated with general education.

Then, in Article 49, it is stated that the government provides and manages the endowment funds of Islamic colleges which come from and are part of the endowment fund for education. This provision is regulated by presidential decree number 82 of 2021 relating to funding for the construction of Islamic colleges.

Meanwhile, Article 23 regarding the endowment funds of Islamic colleges requires that these funds be used for the educational functions of Islamic colleges. In this case, there is no mention of the golden child of one type of Islamic boarding school acting unfairly towards another type of Islamic boarding school.

“This means that all types of Islamic colleges recognized by the Islamic Colleges Law should be given fair and equal opportunities in the use of Islamic colleges’ endowment funds. Not a single type of Islamic college recognized by the Law should be ignored,” has continued.

However, HNW appreciates the publication brochure As for the scholarship program, which is supposed to focus only on certain types of Islamic colleges, this is only a technical matter at the secretariat of the Ministry of Religion. According to him, this will soon be corrected, so that in principle all types of Islamic colleges recognized by law will continue to be accommodated in this scholarship program.

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However, HNW highlighted that misperceptions that have emerged among some healthcare workers at Islamic colleges have yet to be corrected by the Ministry of Religion. This is so that similar conditions do not repeat themselves in the future.

Therefore, the Ministry of Religion must provide clarifications and corrections and immediately increase its presence by presenting representatives of the three types of Islamic colleges recognized by the Islamic Colleges Law when announcing scholarship programs from the endowment funds of Islamic colleges.

“In order for all parties to feel that there is fairness and free access, so that they are more motivated to register, make the Ministry of Religion program a success, and ultimately, there can be an increase in resource capacity in all types of Islamic colleges recognized in the Islamic Colleges Law,” he said.

Reporter: Hendri Sukma Indrawan
Editor: Chandra Hamdani Noor
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