Promotion of Religious Education

Promotion of Religious Education

Religious education at basic level is an integral part of the national education covering madrasah ibtidaiah (MI), Islamic elementary schools, madrasah tsanawiah (Mts) the Islamic junior high schools, religious education in elementary schools (SD) and junior high schools (SLTP).

In Repelita VI, the increase in the crude participation number (APK) for MI is around 14% (the total attendance) for elementary schools until the end of Repelita VI is around 115%) and around 11% for MTs (the total attendance for junior high schools until the end of Repelita VI is around 66%.

In Law No. 2 of 1989 on the national education system, religion is part of the national education, which is based on Pancasila. Therefore, the role of Islamic schools is more important in the frame-work of teaching people the religious outlook besides mastering science and technology.

In 1997/98, the number of private religious schools was 22,868, while the state-run religious schools was only 1,025, compared to 7,430 and 787 schools respectively in the previous year.

The proportion in the number of state-run madrasahs and the private madrasah reflects the role of the private sectors. In 1997/98, 25.8 million families had a 7-12 year old while only 3.6 million were registered in religious private schools with an attendance of 13.93% compared to 37% in 1996/97.

In 1997/98, 13.4 million families had a 13 - 15 year old compared to 1.84 million noted in Madrasah Tsanawiah with an attendance of 13.75% in 1997/98, compared to 12.64% in 1996/97.

To boost accommodation power and expanding study opportunity, the Government expanded and rehabilitated 312 religious state school classrooms in 1997/98, compared to 300 classroom in 1996/97. The Government continues to add to the number and kinds of reading books, text-books for students and guide-books for teachers and supply various practical equipment.

In 1997/98, the Government supplied 713,000 copies of text-books and guide-books which was less than the 978,000 copies in 1996/97. The Government also supplied 2.9 million copies of text-books and guide-books for MTs, which is a 45% increase if compared with that in 1996/97, with only 2 million copies.

Entering the fourth year of Repelita VI, the Indonesian nation faced a tremendous economic crisis, starting from the middle of 1997. This situation has a great impact on various sectors of the community including the economy and education.

In 1997/98, the Government organized upgrading courses for 5,000 teachers and supervisors, provided 8.3 million copies of religious text-books for students and guide-books for teachers.

In improving the quality of religious education at schools, since 1990/91, the Government has imposed D2 standard courses for Moslem teachers. In 1997/98, 105,900 Moslem teachers attended D2 courses, the same number as in 1996/97. The 1,100 teachers, graduated from D2 standard courses in 1997/98, so that the cumulative number of graduates until 1997/98 was 73,400 teachers.

The Government requirement on D-2 standard courses also applied to Protestant, Catholic, Hindu and Buddhist teachers, since 1991/92.

In 1997/98, 17,300 teachers attended, which was an increase from the previous year with 15,800 teachers.

The number of D-2 graduates in 1997/98 amounted to 4,434 teachers, consisting of 2,000 Protestants, 400 Catholics, 2,000 Hindus and 34 Buddhists.

The D-3 standard courses for religious teachers, started in 1994/95, is still being maintained. In 1997/98, the D-3 standard courses were followed by 15,600 Moslem teachers and 680 Protestants teachers, which was the same as in the previous year.

The promotion of religious education for senior high schools (SLTA) is to improve the quality as well as equity of religious education for high schools which was 3,500 schools in 1997/98 consisting of 457 state schools and 3,083 private schools like in the previous year. The number of private high schools was 88% of the total number of high schools.

There were 481,300 high school students in 1997/98 broken down in 211,800 students in state high schools and 269,500 students in private high schools. If compared with that in 1996/97, it showed an increase of 6,400 students in accommodation and 3.6% in attendance which is the same as in 1996/97.

Since 1990/91, the Government introduced a special program for high schools (MAPK), stressing the choice on religious science and Arabic language in order to improve the quality of religious high schools.

In 1997/98, the new program was applied in 12 state-run madrasah aliyahs (MAN) locations namely in Ciamis, Yogyakarta, Jember, Padang Panjang, Ujung Pandang, Bandar Lampung, Martapura, Banda Aceh, Solo, Mataram, Palembang and Jombang.

In 1997/98, MANs were found in eight (8) locations, namely in Garut, Kendal, Jember, Medan, Bukittinggi, Banjarmasin, Watampone and Praya. Since 1997/98, MANs have been available in 27 provinces. This program is adjusted to meet the specific needs of the respective regions.

To promote religious education for public senior high schools in 1997/98, the Government upgraded 800 religious teachers and supplied 1,169 million copies of religious text-books.

Religious education in higher education is mainly directed towards preparing the students to become members of the community, with academic capability and leadership and an understanding towards the needs of development in accordance with the development of science and technology, loyal and with a great responsibility towards the future of the nation and the state.

High school attendance during Repelita VI is around 1.2% (projected at 13% in the last year of Repelita VI).

In 1997/98, the number of religious institutes (PTA) students reached 320,700 persons, consisting of 225,000 State-run PTA (PTAN) students and 98,500 private PTA (PTAS) students, which was increase by 40,300 students compared with that in 1996/97.

In 1997/98, the Government constructed 30,500 square meters of classrooms, language laboratories, libraries as well as other supporting means and supplied 177,700 copies of text-books for 14 IAIN (the State-run Islamic Religious Institutes).

In addition to the promotion of IAIN, the Government also assisted private-run religious institutes (PTAS), covering Islamic PTAS, Protestant PTAS, Catholic PTAS, Hindu PTAS and Buddhist PTAS.

The promotion of religious institutions and workers is aimed at enhancing the role of religious institutions of various religions in development and improving the quality of religious workers in the community. In the framework of promoting Islamic religious boarding schools (Pondok Pesantren-PP), in 1997/98, the Government consulted and upgraded 160 PP supervisors, granted financial aid, rehabilitated 450 PP buildings and provided 36,850 copies of library-books.

Religious development research conducted in 1997/98 covered the transformation of religious life after natural disasters, the alteration of religious habits in the fishermen community, research of ancient manuscripts, the study of religious guidance and the formation of religious maps.

In order to improve the quality of religious judiciary services in 1997/98, the Government educated 40 religious candidate judges, upgraded 30 senior judges and 300 substitute bailiffs.

Beside law counseling, infrastructure and other means as an integral part of the national law system, the expansion and rehabilitation of religious courts are included.

In 1997/98, the Government continued to rehabilitate 30 religious courts (25 religious courts and 5 religious appeal courts) and expanded 13 religious courts (4 religious courts and 9 religious appeal courts).

(http://www.jakweb.com/id/soc/religious/religious5.htm)