Puan Encourages Innovative And Creative Santri Development

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (Dok DPR Photo)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, hopes that the 2024 National Santri Day will be used as a momentum to create innovative and creative students. In the current era of sustainability, she assessed that it was time for all parties, including students to give new breakthroughs to advance the Indonesian nation.

"I hope that the 2024 National Santri Day will be a momentum to realize sustainable students, namely students who are able to show creativity, innovation, and are ready to continue to transform to build the progress of the nation and people," said Puan, Tuesday, October 22.

This year National Santri Day has the theme Continuing the Battle of the Future. The theme has a deep meaning so that students can move together to help realize the welfare of the people and society.

According to Puan, the 10th HSN theme is relevant to the current conditions where students are expected to continue to fight together towards a better future for Indonesia and are ready to contribute to the future of the country.

"Santri must be able to respond to the challenges of the times with innovation and creativity, while adhering to the noble values of the nation's religion and culture," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Puan said that students can play an active role in advancing the nation in various ways. Among other things, by disseminating information and knowledge gained in Islamic boarding schools, having a tolerant understanding of Islam, and showing devotion to the country with integrated collaboration.

"With a sincere spirit, students can contribute significantly to the struggle of the ulama and their predecessors. If in the past students played a role in helping to seize and maintain independence, students today could play a role in efforts to uphold social justice for all Indonesian people," said Puan.

The first woman to serve as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives said that the challenges faced by students would be even more difficult in the midst of the many dynamics of globalization. Puan detailed that these challenges include the education system and technological developments that are so rapid.

"Facing the challenges of the times, students must be able to adapt quickly so that they are able to compete with other human resources. Especially how students are able to have skills in special fields beyond the ability of academics and religious science," he said.

Puan said this special skill is useful for increasing the benefits of the students themselves. For example, in terms of information technology that is very much needed in the era of digital progress.

"Santri has an advantage over an independent and religious strong education system. So that if it is honed and combined with technology, it will be more empowered to build the nation," said Puan.

"Santri can use social media platforms to spread da'wah and Islamic knowledge to the public. I think this facility can be a means for students to work to carry out community empowerment functions," he continued.

On the other hand, Puan assessed that sustainable students can open up opportunity spaces. By understanding technology, the role of santri for the empowerment of the people's economy is said to be more maximized.

I see that many students are quite inspiring and successful when they are involved in the digital economy. Many also preach and share their inspirational stories through social media. Positive steps like this must be more spread out," said Puan.

For this reason, Puan encourages Islamic Boarding Schools (Ponpes) to increase guidance and training for its students. The government is also expected to expand competency improvement programs for students.