The Director of Non-formal Islamic Education and Pesantrens, Basnang Said, stated that the ministry will hold an internal coordination meeting to discuss mechanisms for issuing pesantren establishment permits, with a renewed focus on structural safety following the tragedy at Al Khoziny Pesantren.
“We plan to explore whether safety-related documentation for infrastructure and facilities can be made a mandatory requirement for establishing pesantrens,” he said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Said added that the ministry aims to collaborate with relevant institutions, particularly the Ministry of Public Works, to ensure effective audits and mentoring for pesantrens nationwide.
Head of the Ministry’s Public Relations, Data, and Communications Bureau, Thobib Al Asyhar, affirmed the ministry’s readiness to implement President Prabowo’s directives to enhance safety at Islamic schools.
He emphasized that the government will coordinate with pesantren operators to discuss stricter safety standards and requirements to prevent future incidents.
Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar has called for improvements to pesantren facilities and urged all stakeholders to learn from the collapse of the Al Khoziny building on September 29.
Al Asyhar added that the ministry shares responsibility for ensuring the safety and comfort of pesantren students.
Earlier, Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi stated that President Prabowo had been closely monitoring developments related to the collapse of the four-story building, which occurred while more than 100 students were performing afternoon prayers.
“The President is receiving regular updates and has instructed ministers, the governor, and the deputy governor to give this matter their full attention,” Hadi said in Jakarta on Sunday, October 5.
He added that the President has ordered safety evaluations of all pesantrens nationwide.
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Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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