REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Chairman of the Consideration Board (Wantim) of the Indonesian Ulama Assembly (MUI) KH Ma'ruf Amin affirmed that the boarding school (pesantren) remains a center of education, preaching, and community empowerment that has contributed greatly to the Indonesian nation. This he said after attending the Working Meeting of the Ayo Mondok National Movement at Asshiddiqiyah Pesantren, Jakarta, Wednesday (17/9/2025).

According to Kiai Ma'ruf, the 'Ayo Mondok' initiative has long been started to excite people's spirits to send their children to boarding schools. The movement aims to prepare santri as the next generation capable of providing improvements in the religious and social spheres.

“But this time it may be more specific to independence and also to strengthen boarding schools. Because there is a distortion of understanding, now there is bad framing of boarding schools, such as violence or sexual cases. That can cast doubt on society. When in fact it's only a one-two case, it could even be said zero commas zero. And it is not a proper boarding school, but rather a model boarding school whose identity is not clear,”he said.

He stressed that the boarding school referred to in the 'Ayo Mondok' movement is an Islamic educational institution that has stood solidly since ancient times, giving birth to the nation's figures, both during the colonial period and after independence.

“Even after independence, some became ministers, some became officials, some became regents, some became miscellaneous. Some become president, some become vice president,” he said. 

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