Govt backs program of 'pesantren kilat'

JAKARTA (JP): With full government support, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is launching a nationwide crash course on religion modeled on pesantren (Moslem boarding school) at state schools in major cities during this coming school holiday.

The national pesantren kilat program is seen as an effective way of instilling religious teachings and values among youngsters to counter the rising juvenile delinquency in big cities, MUI chairman Hasan Basri told reporters.

"The President is most concerned about the state of our young generation, seeing the mass brawls and killings that have occurred in Jakarta and other big cities," he said after briefing the President about the program at Merdeka Palace.

"The President came to the conclusion that this was mainly because of lack of religious education," said Hasan, who was accompanied by Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher and Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro.

A number of private organizations, including private schools, have already run pesantren kilat which help children fill their time during the long school holidays. But this is the first time that the concept is being applied at state schools.

The program will be launched simultaneously on June 17 and will last for one week. It is designed for Moslem pupils of fifth grade of elementary school and second graders of junior and senior high schools. Participation is voluntary.

MUI will provide teachers to work with teachers of state schools that administer the program.

The program this year will only be introduced in provincial capitals and one or two regency towns. If successful, it will be expanded to other towns next year.

The program will not teach youngsters solely about their faith but it will also instill a sense of "togetherness" as students will spend the whole week together -- sleeping, dining, learning, reciting the Koran and holding discussions, Hasan said.

He explained that religious education is only taught for 2.5 hours a week under the current national education curriculum and this is hardly sufficient. "It is not sufficient to study religion. You also have to understand it and practice it," he said.

Minister Tarmizi said the pesantren kilat program is the equivalent of Christian's Sunday school.

Minister Wardiman said the program is to give every youngster a taste of pesantren at least once in their life. (emb)