ISLAMIC SCHOOL, AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

ISLAMIC SCHOOL, AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
AHMAD FAUZI, S.Pd.
Managing Director of MANSA FM 95,8 MHz
MA NEGERI PAMEKAAN 1


To understand Islamic school totally is not as easy as giving definition of it. A comprehensive and total understanding should be obtained after studying many aspects concerning with its existence. Those aspects are including historical background of its establishment, philosophical values, soul, traditions and other characteristics. Islamic school has its own distinctive features, which make it different from other institutions.
Recently, Islamic schools become a serious topic in educational world. They begin to have an impact on preparing qualified human resources of this nation. This reality should be a motivation for those who are actively working in pesantrens to increase their work quality. It is the time for Islamic schools to show their capacities among other institutions. It shows that Islamic schools are capable of producing qualified and skillful generation.
If we try to comprehend Islamic school historically, we’ll find Islamic school was born when it was functionally able to give solution for challenges, not only in facing political affairs but also in social culture. Then, Islamic school began to grow as a valuable institution with a noble mission.
The awareness of people about pesantren brought them to appreciative attitude. Some saw that pesantren system is something original from Indonesia, which is full of positive values. Therefore it must be kept and developed. This recognition put pesantren among other educational institutions as an alternative educational system, which play important role in national development.
But on another hand, we find statement that never recognize pesantren as a main part of national educational system. More than that, the role and contribution of pesantren are improper to be compared to another educational institutions.
We realize so far that pesantrens are playing their roles in morality aspects more than developing modern sciences and technology. If knowledge development is given entirely to governmental institutions it will not give solution for all problems we have now. In this situation, pesantrens are facing two categories of problem, primary problem and secondary one.
Primary problem is related to how to represent their morality role among modern society and keep it relevant and appealing? Without relevance and power of attraction, we may not hope effectiveness and efficiency. The morality role of pesantrens should be wrapped up in better way to be accepted by modern people.
Secondary problem is related to how to take over something belongs to others, in this case mission of knowledge. When pesantrens just take their mission in morality aspects without taking part in knowledge development, they will be ignored and finally disappearing from the earth.
Therefore, the best choice of pesantrens is to take double missions at once, morality mission and knowledge development mission. The two missions should be carried out in reasonable way to make a balance. On another hand, pesantrens should make innovation to develop teaching method as well as to focus on developing personality aspects, creating religious atmosphere and selecting right knowledge to develop. Condition of society nowadays should give the ideal description of what pesantrens to do.
If pesantrens are able to do everything well, they really will be the most eligible institutions to be alternative educational systems in future. At that time, pesantrens will be able to play their role as mercy for the whole universe.


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