JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Industry continues to make efforts to empower Islamic boarding schools in order to produce new entrepreneurs who are expected to support the national economy.
Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated that to realize the strengthening and development of small and medium industries (IKM) requires synergy between the central government, regional governments, and other stakeholders such as Islamic boarding schools in the context of empowering the people's economy.
"This synergy is highly expected to have a positive domino effect in boosting national economic growth," he said in a written statement on Thursday, September 8.
According to the Minister of Industry, Islamic boarding schools have great potential to develop the IKM ecosystem in the country. Moreover, the IKM sector has been recognized to play a strategic role in the national economy, especially in the provision and expansion of job opportunities which also have an impact on the welfare of the community.
IKM has proven to be more able to survive in various economic crisis conditions due to its toughness. Currently, there are 4.4 million IKM business units or 99.7 percent of the total manufacturing industry business units, which have absorbed up to 10.36 million people," he said.
The Minister of Industry also considered that Islamic boarding schools have the strategic potential to be developed as a breeding ground for thousands of new entrepreneurs.
"In addition to the extraordinary number of students in Indonesia, Islamic boarding schools are also known to have the potential for economic empowerment driven by students and cottage administrators," he said.
Based on data from the Ministry of Religion as of October 2021, the number of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia was recorded at 35,093 units of cottages, with 4,765,207 students in it. Not only that, Islamic boarding schools are known as a place to forge students who are moral and tenuous, honest, and hardworking.
In addition, the potential for economic empowerment, considering that many Islamic boarding schools have established cooperatives, developed various industrial business units, and have business incubators.
"Today's students are also required not only to study religion, but also entrepreneurship knowledge so that in the future they can independently open their own business, after returning from Islamic boarding schools," concluded Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang.
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