Gov’t Issues Presidential Regulation on Islamic Boarding Schools Funding

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has signed Presidential Regulation Number 82 of 2021 on Funding for Islamic Boarding Schools.

“The issuance of the Presidential Regulation is pivotal for Islamic boarding schools. We express our gratitude to President Jokowi for showing his commitment to improving the quality of education in Islamic boarding schools,” Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Quomas said on Tuesday (09/14).

Yaqut added that the Presidential Regulation, signed by the President on September 2, 2021, allows regional governments to allocate budget for Islamic boarding schools.

Prior to the issuance of the Regulation, he added, some regional governments were hesitant to allocate budgets for Islamic boarding schools because religious education is considered the domain of Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Yaqut went on to say that Article 9 of the Presidential Regulation states that regional governments may use Regional Budget (APBD) for Islamic boarding schools. The funding is allocated through a grant mechanism to assist the implementation of education, da’wah (Islamic preaching), and community empowerment.

Regarding the Islamic boarding schools’ Endowment Fund, the Minister said that he would immediately discuss the matter with Minister of Finance as the manager of the Education Endowment Fund. This is because the Presidential Regulation stipulates that the Islamic boarding schools’ Endowment Fund is sourced from and part of the Education Endowment Fund.

“We will discuss the mechanism with Ministry of Finance and we will talk about the allocations and priority programs. The Endowment Fund will be specifically allocated for education in Islamic boarding schools,” Yaqut remarked. (PR of Ministry of Religious Affairs/UN) (RI/MUR)