REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEKASI – US Ambassador to Indonesia, Scot Marciel, appreciated the education system of pesantren (Islamic boarding school –Ed) in Indonesia. The system put forward the tolerance and appreciation, Marciel said in his visit to some of the best school in Bekasi on Thursday.
Education was important, but the most important thing was studying aspects in life, such as tolerance and appreciation, he added. He said that he loved to have a discussion with the students.
He expects the system can be applied in multicultural countries, such as Indonesia and US. “We have million believers in US. Tolerance is the most important thing, especially for those who want to continue studying,” he said.
The Head of Pesantren Annur, Ahmad Ustuchri, welcomed Marciel’s visit. “We want to show that Islam is a good religion. And pesantren is not terrorist haven,” he said.