Indonesia
A total of 20 PAI master’s students from Madrasah Diniyah Scholarship, Universitas Islam Malang, attended a public lecture with East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa at Islamic Center Hall in Surabaya. The public lecture was held on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Twenty students who attended the public lecture were selected from more than 100 applicants. Before attending the public lecture with East Java Governor, the students had participated in Campus Life Orientation (Oshika) held last Saturday.
According to the chairperson of Public Lecture, the purpose of providing scholarships for Madin teachers is to ensure equitable access to educational services and to enhance teachers’ quality as professional educators. A total of 340 new master’s students in Islamic Education (PAI) and Islamic Education Management received scholarships from East Java Provincial Government for academic year 2019.
In her lecture, the Governor stated that the world of education must not be pessimistic but must continue to develop Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). She cited the example of Adamas Belva Syah Devra, who successfully reached 13,000 students in a short time through the Ruang Guru app. Thus, the learning process does not always have to be face-to-face.
However, while Governor Khofifah delivered her lecture on Indonesia’s optimism, she also addressed serious challenges faced by the nation, particularly radicalism among youth. Social media remains a tool for spreading radical teachings; a survey by the Research and Community Service Institute (LPPM) at UIN Jakarta concluded that 50% of radicalism is spread through social media. In light of this phenomenon, the Governor urged the younger generation, especially college students, to engage in da’wah (Islamic outreach) through information technology.
