Sandiaga Believes Santri Can Be A Driver Of The Economy

Menparekraf Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno at the Santri Digitalpreneur Indonesia activity at the Syaichona Islamic Boarding School Moh. Cholil Bangkalan, East Java, (14/7/2023). BETWEEN/HO-Kemenparekraf

JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno believes that the students spread throughout Indonesia are state assets that are able to become economic drivers and encourage the creation of 4.4 million main jobs through digitalization.

With the number of students, based on data from the Ministry of Religion until 2022/2023, it shows that there are around 5 million female students and female students spread across 39,045 Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, Sandiaga sees that the participation of students in supporting the development of the tourism sector and the creative economy is still not optimal.

"Therefore, I immediately initiated it. But if it is only for fostering in the tourism sector and the creative economy will not be very effective. This means that digitalization must be assisted. Then the Indonesian Digitalpreneur Santri program was initiated," Sandiaga said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, July 15.

In the Santri Digitalpreneur Indonesia program, students are equipped with digitalization knowledge with current trends that can improve their skills and competitiveness. So it is hoped that students can create videos or creative content that supports the presence of Islamic content with creative values as well as inspiring.

Although the Santri Digitalpreneur Indonesia program has just entered its 2nd year, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy hopes that this program can continue and become its own color in the tourism sector and the creative economy.

"This santri is the future of our nation, santri are the nation's assets, and must actively participate in developing tourism and our creative economy. Hopefully all of you will become successful entrepreneurs, who will become preachers and become creators of quality content," Sandiaga said.

Apart from Bangkalan Regency, the Santri Digitalpreneur program will be present in selected regencies/cities. Among them are South Sulawesi, Jombang, Rembang, Bogor, Cirebon, Purwakarta, Serang, Situbondo, and Riau.

With this program, students are also expected to be able to support the presence of halal tourism or halal creative economy products such as Muslim fashion to halal culinary.