Jakarta, NU Online

Secretary General of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) H Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini expressed his appreciation to President Joko Widodo for issuing Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No 82 of 2021 on the Funding for the Implementation of Islamic Boarding Schools (pesantren) which regulates pesantren endowment fund.

 

"We do welcome and are grateful for the issuance of the Presidential Regulation. This is a blessing for all of us," Helmy told NU Online here Tuesday (14/9/2021).

 

He emphasized that the Presidential Regulation on the Endowment Fund for Islamic Boarding Schools was a momentum to increase and strengthen the commitment to promote moderate education and da'wah (preaching).

 

"As has been developed in Islamic boarding schools throughout the archipelago," the author of the 'Nationalism of the Sarongs' said.

 

According to Helmy, the issuance of the Presidential Regulation is proof that the government has a strong commitment to the sustainability and preservation of the educational treasures in Islamic boarding schools.

 

"Because pesantren is one of the roots of education for the Indonesian Islamic community, which has a long and close history with this republic," he explained.

 

On account of the presidential regulation, Helmy hoped that pesantren could exist more and were always consistent in educating the nation's children.

 

"Santri (hopefully) could take part in involving themselves in development and compete globally," the man who was born in Cirebon, West Java, 49 years ago said.

 

Previously, the chairman of the Rabithah Ma'ahid Islamiyah (RMI) PBNU KH Abdul Ghaffar Rozin (Gus Rozin) also welcomed the ratification of the Presidential Regulation on the Endowment Fund for Islamic Boarding Schools.

 

Broadly speaking, said Gus Rozin, the contents of Presidential Regulation Number 82 of 2021 were in accordance with the aspirations of the RMI PBNU. However, the amount of the endowment fund is not clearly stated in the regulation.

 

"Our input first is that the allocation for pesantren is at least 20 percent (from education funds)," said the leader of the Mathali'ul Falah Islamic Boarding School, Kajen, Pati, Central Java.

 

In addition, Gus Rozin emphasized that the presidential regulation should be welcomed with joint efforts in preparing pesantren.

 

"It takes time and joint effort to help pesantren prepare for this presidential regulation, especially in the realm of administration and management accountability," Gus Rozin said.

 

Reporter: Aru Lego Triono

Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq