NU is Willing to Re-join POP with One Condition

JAKARTA - The Head of the Ma'arif Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Institute of Education, Arifin Zunaidi, said that he is willing to re-join the Mobilization Organization Program (POP) of the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud). But, with one condition.

The Ministry of Education and Culture must postpone the implementation of next year's POP. Because, according to Arifin, the POP program scheme is currently in trouble.

"We asked the Ministry of Education and Culture to finalize the POP concept and postpone its implementation next year. LP Ma'arif NU PBNU is considering joining POP next year after studying and examining the revision of the POP concept," Arifin told VOI, Tuesday, August 4.

If the Ministry of Education and Culture imposes POP this year, LP Ma'arif NU PBNU will not join the POP.

This year, LP Ma'arif NU PBNU continues to carry out capacity building for principals and teachers. As well as educational innovations independently.

 "It is carried out independently. So, LP Ma'arif NU PBNU asked the Ministry of Education and Culture not to include LP Ma'arif NU PBNU on the list of POP," he said.

As is known, POP was launched as part of the fourth episode of the Freedom of Learning policy on March 10, 2020. The program was designed to encourage the creation of driving schools by empowering the community through government support.

This is done by improving the quality of teachers and principals based on training models that can effectively improve the quality of the learning process and student learning outcomes.

Then, this POP polemic arose when the House of Representatives Commission X Syaiful Huda (PKB) considered that there were irregularities from a number of large companies, such as the Putera Sampoerna Foundation and the Bhakti Tanoto Foundation participating in getting the funds.

This question also motivated PGRI, Muhammadiyah, and LP Ma'arif NU to withdraw from implementing the POP.  NU considered the membership criteria is unclear. They're worried that there would be a conflict of interest in POP.

Until finally, Nadiem apologized to the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, and PGRI regarding this polemic and asked the three institutions to rejoin POP.