Sidkon Djampi Backs Safe Santri Programme, Says Pesantren Must Be Safe Spaces
BANDUNG — Sidkon Djampi, a member of the West Java Regional Legislative Council from the National Awakening Party (PKB), has backed the launch of the Safe Santri programme and the establishment of anti-violence task forces at Islamic boarding schools by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Sidkon said the measures were important to strengthen protection for students and ensure that pesantren are safe, comfortable educational environments that support character development.
“Pesantren play a strategic role in shaping the character of the nation’s next generation. That is why protecting students must be a shared concern. A place that is supposed to educate and foster good character must not become a setting for violence,” Sidkon said on Thursday (15 October 2026).
He said preventing violence at pesantren required more than issuing regulations or forming task forces. Implementation must be accompanied by consistent oversight, education for caregivers, and accessible complaints mechanisms that ensure victims’ safety.
Sidkon also stressed the importance of involving pesantren administrators, teachers, parents and the wider community in building an educational culture that respects students’ dignity and rights.
He said the Islamic values taught at pesantren should go hand in hand with respect for humanity. Religious education should not only instil obedience, but also foster awareness of the importance of compassion, responsibility and rejecting violence.
“What needs to be strengthened is the prevention system. If a report is made, it must be handled seriously and objectively, with the victim’s safety as the priority. Problems must not be covered up in the name of protecting an institution’s reputation,” he said.
Sidkon hopes the policy will be implemented on an ongoing basis so that public trust in pesantren is maintained. With strong protections in place, he added, pesantren are expected to continue helping to educate a generation that is knowledgeable, upright and concerned for others.