"I emphasize that education in Islamic schools and state Islamic universities must be safe and free of ideologies that are harmful to the state," Qoumas noted in a written statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The minister spoke of having instructed the ministry's working units to map out stances of all religious educational institutions, such as regular and boarding schools, as well as universities regarding religious and nationalistic thoughts as well as approaches on the issue of sexual violence.
The ministry will also perform routine evaluation and monitoring of the teaching activities to prevent sexual violence in religious educational institutions, he remarked.
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"I will be tireless in reminding (officials) to conduct monitoring and evaluation of teaching activities in Islamic schools and other religious educational institutions," Qoumas remarked.
Moreover, the minister spoke of having received a report that some 11 percent of university lecturers are yet to moderate their stance whilst falling short of revealing the identities or names of the lecturers.
"I do not want an actor that will fight against the state to appear from religious universities, as we currently have 11 percent of lecturers, who are yet to moderate their stances. There is no room for intolerance and extremist thoughts in educational institutions under the Religious Affairs Ministry," he emphasized.
The ministry's officials should also not get involved in anti-state activities, the minister stated while adding that firm action would be taken against officials found violating the instruction.
"I want the ministry to serve as a barometer for other ministries since the Religious Affairs Ministry has an additional burden pertaining to our responsibility in religious affairs. Let us instead apply religious values as an inspiration to do good," Qoumas affirmed.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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