D

ec. 20, p4

President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo rolled out on Friday plans to improve the quality of 12 Islamic-based public higher education institutions in the country, including by awarding 5,000 doctorate scholarships for lecturers from the institutions.

Under the plan, nine Islamic-based colleges have been upgraded into academies and three existing academies have been transformed into universities.

 The nine new State Academies of Islamic Studies (IAIN) are in Samarinda, East Kalimantan; Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan; Kendari in Southeast Sulawesi; Manado in North Sulawesi; Palopo in South Sulawesi; Langsa in Aceh; Jember in East Java; and two others in Salatiga and Purwokerto, both in Central Java.

Your comments:

Do they plan to teach science at these universities?

It is fine to upgrade the Islamic higher-education system but please, for the sake of Indonesia, upgrade the entire secular side of it as well.

Nate

We all know that education is very important. A strong Muslim has a solidly grounded faith, which gives him and the people around him inner and outer strength.

Islam gives us a sense of purpose in life. Islamic education is one of the cornerstones of building a healthy, strong and successful Muslim nation.

Cedeer

Many of the 5,000 scholarship recipients will go abroad, namely to Egypt, as has been the trend, and to other Islamic countries.

It seems unlikely that they will learn to change much for the better when they return from there.

Many, on the other hand, will get positive findings from their
research, but will these be recognized by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) as easily?

Mangu

I am perfectly fine with good Islamic education.  Good Islamic education should be moderate and a basis for fighting against the likes of the Islamic State (IS) movement.

Atom

Secular education brings more tolerance. Why not upgrade education that will boost the economy?

Duncan Tan

I understand that education brings more tolerance. But how do you want to educate members of radical groups?

Irhamni Zainal

I am unfamiliar with the constitutional basis of this direct financial aid for a particular religion.

But a government doctrine that favors and supports a specific faith amounts to discrimination of another. The government must stay away from 'subsidizing' or promoting one religion.

Is there government financial aid available to the Catholic higher-education system too? They are known for their quality education programs. I am supportive of improving our educational system so that we can produce highly competent and highly moral leaders.

I do not agree that government funds should be used to support a particular faith or religion to the neglect of another. We need to be fair to all faiths. Otherwise we create discord and discrimination, thus destabilizing society.

There is no constitutional basis of this financial subsidy, but if there is, it must be redressed.

James Waworoendeng

Successful and balanced Muslim countries pursue secular goals. I suppose any education is better than none.

Zebra