Religious Affairs Minister Plans to Build Integrated Madrasah in New Capital
Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar has announced that his ministry plans to build an Integrated Madrasah in Nusantara Capital City (IKN), East Kalimantan. The Islamic school complex would encompass all levels from Raudhatul Athfal (RA, kindergarten), Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI, primary), Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs, junior secondary), through to Madrasah Aliyah (MA, senior secondary).
"An integrated madrasah from raudhatul athfal, ibtidaiyah, tsanawiyah, and aliyah," Nasaruddin said in an official Ministry of Religious Affairs statement on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
Nasaruddin visited IKN on Friday, 20 February 2026. During a meeting with IKN Authority chief Basuki Hadimuljono, he outlined plans for the Integrated Madrasah under the Ministry of Religious Affairs' auspices.
The educational complex is designed to include RA, MI, MTs, and MA levels, complete with dormitories, sports facilities, a mosque, and other supporting infrastructure, requiring approximately 21 hectares of land.
Beyond discussing the madrasah construction, Nasaruddin also inspected government office buildings, healthcare facilities, and civil servant housing blocks. He held dialogues with civil servants and healthcare workers to learn about their working experiences and the readiness of services in the area.
He added that the readiness of infrastructure and working systems in IKN opens opportunities for the Ministry of Religious Affairs to strengthen vertical coordination from the central to regional levels without being centred in Jakarta.
President Prabowo had previously provided design and functional corrections for IKN during a visit to the new city on Monday, 12 January 2026. That visit marked the first time Prabowo had visited the megaproject — a legacy of Joko Widodo — since becoming head of state.
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said Prabowo offered corrections regarding IKN's development during the visit. "There were still several matters on which the President provided corrections — firstly regarding design, and secondly regarding function," Prasetyo said, as quoted from a video press statement on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
Prasetyo stated that Prabowo had from the outset emphasised accelerating the IKN construction process. IKN is targeted to function as the political capital by 2028, in accordance with Presidential Regulation Number 79 of 2025 on the Update of the 2025 Government Work Plan.
To that end, Prabowo has instructed the IKN Authority and the Ministry of Public Works to carry out improvements. According to Prasetyo, Prabowo provided two key notes on the city's development from the Jokowi era. "The notes are for improvement and acceleration of the construction process," Prasetyo said.
Prasetyo noted that Prabowo wants IKN's design to anticipate the climate and disaster potential in Kalimantan, including through the construction of retention ponds and disaster mitigation systems for threats such as forest fires.
"An integrated madrasah from raudhatul athfal, ibtidaiyah, tsanawiyah, and aliyah," Nasaruddin said in an official Ministry of Religious Affairs statement on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
Nasaruddin visited IKN on Friday, 20 February 2026. During a meeting with IKN Authority chief Basuki Hadimuljono, he outlined plans for the Integrated Madrasah under the Ministry of Religious Affairs' auspices.
The educational complex is designed to include RA, MI, MTs, and MA levels, complete with dormitories, sports facilities, a mosque, and other supporting infrastructure, requiring approximately 21 hectares of land.
Beyond discussing the madrasah construction, Nasaruddin also inspected government office buildings, healthcare facilities, and civil servant housing blocks. He held dialogues with civil servants and healthcare workers to learn about their working experiences and the readiness of services in the area.
He added that the readiness of infrastructure and working systems in IKN opens opportunities for the Ministry of Religious Affairs to strengthen vertical coordination from the central to regional levels without being centred in Jakarta.
President Prabowo had previously provided design and functional corrections for IKN during a visit to the new city on Monday, 12 January 2026. That visit marked the first time Prabowo had visited the megaproject — a legacy of Joko Widodo — since becoming head of state.
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said Prabowo offered corrections regarding IKN's development during the visit. "There were still several matters on which the President provided corrections — firstly regarding design, and secondly regarding function," Prasetyo said, as quoted from a video press statement on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
Prasetyo stated that Prabowo had from the outset emphasised accelerating the IKN construction process. IKN is targeted to function as the political capital by 2028, in accordance with Presidential Regulation Number 79 of 2025 on the Update of the 2025 Government Work Plan.
To that end, Prabowo has instructed the IKN Authority and the Ministry of Public Works to carry out improvements. According to Prasetyo, Prabowo provided two key notes on the city's development from the Jokowi era. "The notes are for improvement and acceleration of the construction process," Prasetyo said.
Prasetyo noted that Prabowo wants IKN's design to anticipate the climate and disaster potential in Kalimantan, including through the construction of retention ponds and disaster mitigation systems for threats such as forest fires.