UNDERSTANDING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

IN INDONESIA
 

Dr. Moch. Nur Ichwan

Short Course Islam in Indonesia
UIN Sunan Kalijaga
17 November 2022
  I would argue that in the post-New Order era, religious
education in Indonesia is “confessional”, in the sense of

Argument religious indoctrination, that allows students to know their own

respective religions from the kindergarten to university level
and to neglect other religions.
  Neither secular nor theocratic state. Pancasila State.
 However, such kind of state allows “religionization” of the
state constitutionally based on the first principle (sila) of
Pancasila, Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa (Belief in One Almighty
God) and Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution.
Religion and State  In the post-New Order (Post-Suharto) era, Indonesia has come
closer to the idea of “religious state”, although not in the sense
of Islamic State.
 2003 Law of National Education System
 Law No 18/2019 on Pesantren
  I would like to adopt Michael Grimmit’s concept of religious
education (RE), but I would line to modify it based on
Indonesian experience.
 1. Learning religion
What is Religious  2. Learning from religion
Education?
 3. Learning about religion.
 Indonesia generally implements “learning religion” in the sense
of “learning my own religion” or “mono-religious education”.
It is “confessional religious education.”
  However, “learning religion” as “learning my own religion” is
not singular.
 1. Learning religious ideology and identity
 2. Learning religious tradition and culture
Learning religion
 3. Learning religious experience and spirituality
 4. Learning religious consequentiality
 5. Learning religious knowledge
  There has been perception that religious education at public
schools is not enough.

Religious Education at  informal religious education was seen as the solution.

Public School: Not  Such a need has opened the chance for trans-national religious
Enough? movements, such as Tarbiyah (Ikhwan Muslimin), Hizbut
Tahrir and Salafi, and Tablighi movement (especially in in Palu
and Poso), to proliferate in public schools.
  There are two important development to consider.
Towards  First, the 2013 curriculum which integrates religious education
Transformative and ethics.
Religious Education?  Second, governmental program of “religious moderation”.
  What need to be pushed further is religious education is
“learning from religions” as well as “Learning about
religions” in the plural sense of religion.
Conclusion  Indonesia is multi-religious. It is Indonesian reality. Religious
education cannot be anti-reality, it should guide reality for
better human life.