30 East Java Students Get Education Scholarships At Al Azhar Egypt

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa released the departure of a number of students who received scholarships for studying at Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, from the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya, Monday (7/3/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Biro Adpim East Java)

SURABAYA - As many as 30 students from various Islamic boarding schools (ponpes) in East Java received scholarships to continue their studies at Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

"They are participants of the Islamic Boarding School Santri Scholarship Program who have passed the selection," said the Governor of East Java (East Java) Khofifah Indar Parawansa in a written statement reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 7.

The selection of participants for the scholarship program was held by the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies (PUSIBA) in Jakarta, the only institution that is recognized and trusted to prepare Arabic language competencies according to Al Azhar student standards.

Of the 240 applicants who passed administrative verification, 30 participants were eventually selected who passed the test as a whole. "A total of 30 participants were declared to have passed matriculation/tahdid mustawa by PUSIBA," said Khofifah.

Each participant has registered and chosen a religious study program at Al-Azhar University, such as Ushuluddin, Sharia, and Arabic.

Khofifah ensured that the participants were exempt from tuition fees while studying at Al Azhar. "While the scholarship from the East Java Provincial Government is in the form of living costs, dormitories, book assistance, and medical treatment for 4 years, as well as round-trip transportation costs," she said.

Governor Khofifah hopes that all students who have the opportunity to win scholarships at Al Azhar will always be diligent and disciplined while studying.

"This is an extraordinary opportunity to gain knowledge directly from the sheikhs and great scholars of Al Azhar in Egypt," she said.

The Chairperson of the Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) also advised students not to be easily influenced by trans-national ideas or ideologies that are not in line with the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

"I convey how there are keys that are the knitting of peace, harmony, tolerance, and moderation, that exist in this country so that even if there are differences, the position of the differences is ikhtilafu ummati rahmatun. Differences of opinion are a blessing, not to the point where It can cause divisions," said Khofifah.