Minister Of Religion Ensures Vaccination For Millions Of Santri Continues To Roll

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas ensured that the vaccination program for millions of santri continues to roll in various regions as an effort and contribution of santri and pesantren in realizing communal immunity.

"In mid-August 2021, I witnessed and gave a welcome speech for the kick off of the West Java Three Million Islamic Boarding School program that was ready to be vaccinated," said the Minister of Religion, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, August 31.

According to the Minister of Religion, the vaccination program at Islamic boarding schools is strategic because pesantren is an ecosystem. In addition to kiai, ustaz, and students, there are also communities around the pesantren.

"If the vaccine is given to Islamic boarding schools, the ecosystem will also be helped," said the Minister of Religion.

In addition, vaccination for santri and Islamic boarding schools also has an impact on growing public confidence to jointly participate in the Vaccination program.

In the past month, it was recorded that the santri vaccination program was carried out in many Islamic boarding schools, both in Java and outside Java. The process is through the cooperation of the regional offices of the Ministry of Religion at the provincial or district and city levels, Baznas, health services, TNI, Polri, and other parties.

"On Thursday (2/9) vaccinations for kiai, ustaz, and santri were carried out in Central Java. This program will target the vaccines for 8,635 kiai, 46,181 ustaz/ustazah, and 539,255 students," said the Minister of Religion.

The Minister of Religion is optimistic that the vaccination of students will continue and become more massive in line with public awareness to follow suit.

Yaqut emphasized that the vaccination of santri and Islamic boarding schools is the government's commitment as well as in welcoming the limited face-to-face learning implementation.