Islamic schools included in compulsory program

Islamic schools included in compulsory program

JAKARTA (JP): The government expects all Islamic schools to
take part in the compulsory education program implemented since
last year.

Andi Rasdiyanah, director general of development of Islamic
Institutions of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told the House
of Representatives yesterday that both madrasah (Islamic
elementary and high school) and pesantren (traditional Islamic
boarding school), fall under the nine-year compulsory education
program.

In a hearing with the Commission IX (for education), she said
many obstacles face Islamic schools who try to comply with the
program, but issues of quality and quantity are certainly the
most serious.

In terms of quantity, Rasdiyanah said, the number of madrasah
is still comparatively small: 16.6 percent of all Indonesian
schools; the other 83.4 percent are either state-owned or private
non-religious schools.

A lack of qualified teachers also presents problems. Many of
the present teachers are not highly educated, she said. This
shortage does not afflict just madrasah. According to Rasdiyanah
the whole country is still suffering from a shortage of sciences
teachers.

A shortage of classroom space is also another obstacle for
making the program a success, as is shortages of books and
educational equipment, she said. Furthermore, the quality of
text books which are available must also be questioned.

"The curriculum needs to be improved and updated," Rasdiyanah
told House members.

Nevertheless, Rasdiyanah pointed out that the curriculum of
Islamic schools is similar to that of public schools. "The only
exception is that in madrasah students are given 30 percent more
religious teachings than in public schools."

According to Rasdiyanah, the Ministry of Religious Affairs
plans to take over the privately-owned madrasah gradually "for
the sake of efficiency."

She said in the year 2004 the ministry expects the ratio of
public Islamic elementary schools to private ones to become
30:70. Presently, that ratio is 5:95.

The ratio between public and private Islamic junior high
schools is expected to rise to 50:50 from its current ratio of
24:76, she said.

Rasdiyanah said that the government has plans to improve
teacher quality. "The Ministry of Religious Affairs has sent many
Islamic teachers to Western and Middle Eastern countries to
pursue further education." (05)