Ministry of Religious Affairs and British Council Partnership Supports 720 Islamic School Teachers in Global Engagement

JAKARTA — The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Indonesian Islamic education to the global stage through strengthened teacher competency. This commitment was underscored by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar whilst closing the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for madrasah English teachers in Jakarta on Thursday, 26 February 2026.

The programme represents a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the British Council, designed to elevate standards of competency among madrasah teachers to enable them to compete at the international level.

The programme closure was attended by the British Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Seema Malhotra, and the British Ambassador to Indonesia, Dominic Jermey. The presence of these diplomatic officials symbolised the reinforcement of bilateral relations between Indonesia and the United Kingdom in education, a partnership initiated through a memorandum of understanding in November 2023.

In his remarks, Nasaruddin Umar emphasised the strategic role of teachers as catalysts for change within the education system. According to him, proficiency in international languages is essential for madrasah to remain relevant in the globalisation era.

“Teachers are the heart of the education system. If the quality of the heart is sound, then the entire body—namely student progress—will follow suit. English language proficiency for madrasah teachers represents a strategic investment in broadening intellectual horizons,” Nasaruddin stated in his press release on Friday, 27 February 2026.