By: Ajeng Mufadillah
The Islamic economy is an important program to strengthen the economy by Bank Indonesia. One of the drivers of Islamic economics is Islamic boarding schools.
The Head of the Research and Development Agency and the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag), Abdurrahman Mas’ud said that it was very appropriate to strengthen Islamic economic independence through Islamic boarding schools. Especially in strengthening the chain of halal products from Islamic boarding schools.
In the past two decades, according to Mas’ud, the Islamic economic model has strengthened. He said the sharia economic system is now a mainstay to support economic justice in the community.
In a broader Islamic economic development roadmap, said Mas’ud, the economic development of Islamic boarding schools is currently very strategic. Because the role of Islamic boarding schools is inseparable from educational institutions, and da’wah institutions, but also the economic development of the people.
Mas’ud, who is also the Chairperson of the Indonesian Boarding School Communication Forum, said that, at present, Mas’ud admitted, the number of pesantren economic development had been strengthened by the Ministry of Religion. At present there are a number of pesantren which have been proven to produce life skill for santri and revive the economic independence of pesantren.
Currently, the economic products of Islamic boarding schools can not only be sold, but also can be exported abroad. Therefore, it is expected that in the future the pesantren products and pesantren economic programs can be synergized and a road map is needed along with strengthening the pesantren halal product chain.