Achieving Zero Percent Target of Extreme Poverty in 2024, Islamic Boarding Schools Hold Important Responsibilities

Depok, wapresri.go.id – The government targets the extreme poverty rate in Indonesia to reach zero percent by 2024. The target was conveyed by President Joko Widodo in a Limited Meeting with a number of Ministers of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet on November 18, 2021 ago. To achieve this target, it is necessary to have an active role in all elements of society, one of which is the Islamic boarding schools (pesantren).

“Pesantren have a responsibility to eliminate poverty, of course, along with other elements. Coincidentally, together with the central government, regional governments and private institutions and individuals, we call them groups that have shared responsibilities with Islamic boarding schools,” said Vice President (VP) K.H. Ma’ruf Amin in his press statement after attending the 2022 National Santri Day Commemoration with the theme “Empowered Santri, for a Prosperous Indonesia”, at Masjid Raya At Thohir, Jalan Mochamad Thohir, Depok, West Java, Monday (31/10/2022).

Furthermore, the VP stated that Islamic boarding schools have an important role in alleviating poverty, one of which is because of their large number and spread throughout Indonesia. In addition, the teachings in the pesantren also teach their human resources to help others and improve the welfare of their environment.

“If in pesantren lessons, eliminating poverty is part of fardhu kifayah (obligations that must be carried out), it then eliminates dangers,” stated the VP.

More than that, he added, poverty alleviation also applies in general. Not only related to extreme poverty, but also other matters concerning the welfare of others.

“It’s not even just Muslims or non-Muslims, who lack food, who lack clothes. This means that in a poor condition it must be eradicated, that is according to the lessons of the Islamic boarding school,” explained the VP.

Therefore, the VP hopes that this commemoration of National Santri Day can be momentum for developing the economic strength of santri and Islamic boarding schools so that they can contribute more optimally in the future in the economic field.

“We hope to contribute more optimally in the economic field, both through activities in agriculture, trade and handicrafts and various other things,” added the VP.

“We hope that the potential of pesantren is so great that in collaboration with MES and BI, and later the OJK and other financial institutions, especially regarding the sharia economy, we hope that they will contribute in order to strengthen the national economy towards a prosperous and advanced Indonesia,” he concluded.

Present to accompany the VP when giving this press statement, the Minister of SOEs as Chair of MES Erick Thohir and Chairman of the OJK Board of Commissioners Mahendra Siregar. (NN/LHS, BPMI – Setwapres)