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)