Sociologists Value The Utilization Of The State Budget For The Rehabilitation Of Islamic Boarding Schools For The Form Of State Responsibility To Protect Students

ILUSTRASI/Ministry of PUPR through BP2P Sulawesi II built flats for the Nahdlatul Tholibin Islamic Boarding School students in Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi. (ANTARA/HO-BP2P Sulawesi II)

JAKARTA - University of Airlangga (Unair) sociologist Bagong Suyanto assessed that the plan to use the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) to rehabilitate Islamic boarding schools is not just social assistance.

This, according to him, is a form of state responsibility to protect children who are studying in these religious institutions.

"The basis for using the state budget should not be seen as assistance for Islamic boarding schools alone. Most importantly, the state is obliged to guarantee protection for students who are basically children. So this is a form of the government's responsibility to ensure their safety," said Bagong when contacted, Thursday, October 16.

Bagong assessed that the government has a constitutional obligation to ensure the safety of children in all educational institutions, including pesantren.

He emphasized that Islamic boarding schools are part of the national education system that plays a role in educating the nation's life.

"The students are part of our education system. They assist the state in providing education guarantees for children, especially in areas where public schools may not be reached. So if the government allocates a budget to strengthen pesantren facilities, that's natural," he explained.

Highlighting public debate after the collapse of the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, Bagong advised the public to be wise and not generalize the entire Islamic boarding school.

"Not all huts are the same. Some still need guidance, but many huts are very good and can be role models. So people need to be wise so they don't judge all cottages from one or two cases," he said.

Bagong emphasized the importance of involving leaders or Islamic boarding schools in the process of distributing government assistance so as not to appear the impression of bureaucratic intervention.

"The government should not run alone. It must involve representatives or Islamic boarding schools associations so that bureaucratic intervention does not appear. That way, the government's good intentions to help will be received more positively," he added.