Digital transformation must be perceived as the process to facilitate all aspects instead of doing the opposite
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas urged officials to provide equal access and not discriminate between Islamic schools, commonly known as madrasahs, operating either on private or public capacities.

"I ask officials of the (ministry's) Directorate General of Islamic Education to provide the best and equal educational access and services for all children," Qoumas noted, as per the statement here, Wednesday.

At the recent Directorate General of Islamic Education coordination meeting in East Jakarta, the minister expressed hope that the official would conceive new-fangled approaches and policies to ensure quality education access for all madrasahs.

"How to realize (the goal) with all resources in the Religious Affairs Ministry is the responsibility of the director general and all officials that must conceive its ways," he stressed.

Qoumas also called on the ministry's officials to accelerate digital transformation in Islamic education. However, they must ensure that the implementation would facilitate all elements of madrasahs, including pupils and teachers, instead of burdening them.

"Digital transformation must be perceived as the process to facilitate all aspects instead of doing the opposite," the minister stated.

Meanwhile, the ministry's Director General of Islamic Education, M. Ali Ramdhani, pointed out that according to his side's analysis, the directorate general has focused on four strategic matters to develop Islamic education.

Those aspects comprised accessibility to quality Islamic educational institutions; efforts to increase quality, relevance, and competitiveness; matters pertaining to administration, accountability, and public image; and religious moderation.

In addition, the directorate general strives to develop professional teachers in Islamic schools.

"The directorate general of Islamic education, in nurturing teachers (of Islamic schools), have four development focuses on qualification, competency, personal career, and livelihood," Ramdhani remarked.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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