PBNU Launches 'My Safe Pesantren' Movement to End Violence Against Students

The Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) has reinforced its commitment to protecting students by launching the ‘Pesantrenku Aman’ (My Safe Pesantren) movement alongside prominent Banten clerics at Al Mubarok Islamic Boarding School, Tangerang Regency, on Saturday (1/8/2026).

KH Miftah Faqih, PBNU Chair for Organisation, Cadreisation and Membership, stated that this step is considered crucial for creating an Islamic educational environment free from violence and discrimination, whilst guaranteeing the basic rights of students during their studies. ‘Safe or comfortable in the teaching and learning process, comfortable receiving knowledge transformation from their teachers, safe from bullying, safe from discrimination, and safe from the severance of proper educational access,’ he said after attending the Pesantrenku Aman declaration.

According to him, the concept of a safe and comfortable pesantren is now defined more comprehensively. Safety is no longer interpreted merely as freedom from physical threats, but encompasses a sense of security in the teaching and learning process, the smooth transformation of knowledge from teachers, and open access to proper education. ‘Because a sense of safety is a basic human right. With a sense of safety, students can explore their potential optimally, of course based on a sense of responsibility and clear boundaries,’ he said.

Kiai Miftah stated that in the digital era, the relationship between teachers or kiai and students needs to be thoroughly evaluated. Awareness of boundaries and capacity between elements within the pesantren must be exercised proportionally. ‘Traditional relationship patterns of the past are no longer relevant to the current dynamics of the times,’ he said. The openness of information flows now demands that pesantren adapt and abandon disciplinary methods that could potentially lead to psychological or physical violence. ‘When I was young, being scolded by a kiai was considered a blessing. But that cannot be the case now because the era is different,’ he said.