Currently, Indonesia is in the demographic bonus era, which is a condition where the number of theproductive age population (15-64 years) is greater than the non-productive age population. This conditionprovides great opportunities for economic and social growth, but on the other hand, it can also happen ifthe management is not done properly. In this case, students become one of the important actors inrealizing Indonesia’s “Golden Age”.
“If the demographic bonus succeeds in increasing the number of jobs, then we will be able to become a developed country. But the threat is the aging-population, Indonesia is very vulnerable if we cannot passthe demographic bonus era,” said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and culture (Coordinating Minister for PMK) Muhadjir Effendy when he was a speaker at a virtual Uhamka Graduate SchoolPublic Lecture, Saturday (5/3).
How can Pesantren’s education be aligned with the goals and vision of Indonesia Emas 2045?
As an” ideal institution” pesantren is expected to be able to produce its alumni who are ready to contributeand meet the spiritual needs of the community. Dith provides a strong foundation in the religious and moral education of students as social change and cultural change. In this case, the pesantren has played its role asan educational institution and Da’wah. What is meant by socio-cultural changes are changes that occur in social institutions that affect the socio-cultural system, including values, attitudes and mindsets among community groups and changing the various cultures in it.
Santri; Guardian of morals in the era of transformation
In the face of moral degradation, pesantren Bridges its students to become pioneers and inspirers of the nation’s moral generator by developing moral values through character formation in students. Supported by education that uses a dormitory system, making the character of students easier to form. Likewise with the values and views of life adopted in the daily lives of students. Character building that is carried out systematically and continuously and involves aspects of knowledge, feeling, loving, and action aims to formthe personality of students who behave honestly, well and responsibly, respect and appreciate others, fair,non- discriminatory, egalitarian, hardworking and other superior characters.
Not only being an educational institution (tarbawiyyah), pesantren also has a function as a social institution(ijtimaiyyah), and religious broadcasting (dakwah diniyyah), as well as a moral reference for people’s lives.
Through a holistic approach, pesantren’s education can form a generation of competent students, who have ahlakul karimah morals, and character. This is shown by the alumni of pesantren who received legitimacy from the community as scholars or kiai who are tough and able to develop themselves in the field of religion, with a strong sensitivity to social and environmental issues. This is rooted in the pressure point of pesantren as a tafaqquh fiddin institution that isalways maintained, and the willingness to open up from all changes and developments of the Times.
Based on the pattern of education that is relevant to all aspects of life, pesantren form a reflection to print santrinyaBecome Human shâlih and akram. SHâCF, means a human being who is potentially able to play an active, useful andskilled role in his life with fellow creatures. The philosophy of shâlih is taken from Sura al-Anbiya’105:
“Indeed, the Earth is bequeathed to those who shshlih.”
To preserve the earth with all the order of life and its contents, pesantren equips its students with knowledge that has implikasi social implications as a whole and fundamentally.
Whereas akram means an achievement in the relationship of man as a creature to khaliq-his khaliq, to achieve happiness in the hereafter, as Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who fears Allah the most.”
In this case, the pesantren institutionally emphasizes the deepening of religious knowledge (tafaqquh fiddin). With the main purpose of printing human shâlih and akram, pesantren become educational institutions that have implications for the world and the hereafter.
Not limited to character building, pesantren also prepares a generation with strong leadership, maintaining cultural values and national identity, so pesantren has its contribution in preparing the Golden Indonesia generation 2045.
