Ministry Of Education And Culture: Constitutional Court Decision Requires Religious Education In Schools In Accordance With The 1945 Constitution

A teacher provides religious lessons to students at the 20th State Elementary School, Banda Aceh, Aceh, Friday (29/11/2024) (ANTARA PHOTO/Ampelsa)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) assesses that the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) which requires school officials to carry out religious education subjects is in line with the mandate of the 1945 Constitution.

"The Ministry of Education and Culture welcomes and is ready to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court which officially requires religious education subjects at the school," said Minister of Education and Information Abdul Mu'ti in a statement reported by ANTARA, Saturday, January 4.

He explained that the purpose of education is to form a human of faith, piety, and noble character. This is the mandate of the 1945 Constitution as the highest legal source in Indonesia.

The Ministry of Education and Culture is also of the view that decisions require religious education subjects in schools as well as strengthen Law Number 20 of 2003 concerning the National Education System.

"This law states that every student has the right to get religious education after his religion and is taught by religious educators," he said.

The decision to require every school in Indonesia to provide religious education subjects was disclosed by one of the MKarief Hidayat judges in the plenary session related to the judicial review of Article 12 paragraph 1, and Article 37 paragraphs 1 and 2 of Law Number 20 of 2003.

The Constitutional Court's decision also invalidated the petition from the applicant on behalf of Raymond Kamil and Indra Syahputra who wanted religious education to be the subject of choice.

The Constitutional Court judge gave several views on this decision, including religious teaching in the world of education that has been going on for a long time and is a consequence of accepting Pancasila as an ideology.

National education must be carried out democratically and fairly while still upholding human rights, religious values, cultural values, and the diversity of the nation.

National education is also to shape the potential of students to become human beings of faith and piety. National education at any level cannot be separated from religious values.