Pesantren must cooperate with each other

Denpasar, NU Online
Pesantren or Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia need to communicate with each other. Head of Bali's Religious Affairs, Wayan Syamsul Bahri said that it aimed to enhance spirit of cooperation and competition in goodness.<>

"Islamic boarding schools should not envy each other, should not be hostile one another," Bahri said recently.

Islamic boarding school position is very strategic in national development. This time is difficult to find an institution that can effectively be used as place to educate and nurture young generation. The urge to perform immoral acts in society is strong enough, while to do good acts getting weaker. An Islamic boarding school becomes one of institutions that still can be believed to form national children. 

There are more than 30 Islamic boarding schools in Bali spread across eight regencies and cities of Denpasar. Most of them are in Jembrana.

The leader of Pesantren Modern Shohwatul Is'ad in Pangkep, South Sulawesi, Masrur Makmur La Tanro, explained that an Islamic boarding school should be independent in financial activities. They have to empower existing potential and cooperate with other parties with mutual benefit principle. 

Modern Shohwatul Is'ad has managed to do that. They develop agricultural area on 13 hectares lands. They are planting citrus, rambutan and other plants. They also build chicken and catfish farm. 

"In one month, we record a revenue of 70 million IDR and it is enough to finance our school with 350 students," La Tanro said.

Beside to finance its activities, Islamic boarding school managers can train their students to gardening and farming. So later after they graduated, they can live independently without depend on other party.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq