Aceh Academicians Gives Recommendation to Religious Minister on Several Key Issues

Minister of Religious Affairs receives 12 recommendations from academics during National Meeting in Aceh Province, Saturday (22/2).

Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi has received twelve academic recommendations from academics in Aceh province during a national meeting held in the eastern Acehnese town of Bireuen, Saturday (22/2).

Chancellor of Ar-Raniry State Islamic University (UIN) Warul Walidin, Chancellor of Syiah Kuala University Samsul Rizal, dan Executive Director of Sukma Bangsa Foundation Ahmad Baidhawi handed over the document of the recommendations to the Minister.

The recommendation addresses issues on education, development of innovation in agriculture and marine sectors, development acceleration, economy, history, tourism education, School Operational Assistance (BOS) fund, as well as Aceh’s Islamic curriculum (locally known as dayah curriculum).

The recommendations were formulated by academics from a number of universities in the province, including Ar-Raniry UIN, Syiah Kuala University, Almuslim University, as well as by Aceh Dayah Clerics Association, Sukma Bangsa Foundation, members of House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) from Aceh, and the Aceh regional government.

The followings are the 12 points of recommendation:

1. Making Ar Raniry UIN Aceh as center of moderate Islamic studies in Indonesia;
2. Making Syiah Kuala University as center for seismic studies with an international scale in Indonesia;
3. Building a museum of the history of Islamic civilization in Southeast Asia in Aceh;
4. Creating and developing agricultural and marine innovations based on local wisdom to restore Aceh as the world’s largest horticultural trade center;
5. Accelerating the development of the Arun and Sabang SEZs as an international trade hub and tourism area;
6. Conducting a survey of dayah economic potentials for the economic empowerment of the people of Aceh;
7. Creating and developing technology-based vocational dayah curriculum in accordance with local wisdom;
8. Proposing changes in School Operational Assistance (BOS) fund from student-based to school-based. Sukma Bangsa Aceh school can be used as a reference for the recommendation;
9. Appointing the Sukma Bangsa school as center for study and training in school-based conflict management (MKBS) to reduce the number of violence at schools across Indonesia;
10. Making Aceh as an educational and culinary tourism destination based on creative economy;
11. Completing the construction of the Syuhada Monument at Ulee Lhue;
12. Revising Law Number 11 of 2006 on Aceh Government to realize the above recommendations. (PR of Ministry of Religious Affairs/AIT/EN)

Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas