Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has placed the religious education sector as a top priority in its post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction action plan in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar said that 562 madrasah, 1,033 Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), and 17 Islamic higher education institutions have been identified as priority targets for rehabilitation.
religious education in post flood recovery plan
Speaking at a national coordination meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jakarta on Monday, Umar said preparations on the ministry’s side had been completed.
“From the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ side, the budget and implementation orders are already prepared. We are now waiting for technical execution in the field, particularly regarding road and bridge access that remains damaged,” he said.
Umar said the physical rehabilitation of madrasah and pesantren would be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works, which has authority over construction projects.
The ministry is also prioritizing the reconstruction of houses of worship, with a total of 1,593 facilities across different religions identified for rebuilding, including regional offices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in affected areas.
Umar acknowledged that the ministry’s budget for rebuilding houses of worship is limited, but said additional funds amounting to Rp9.35 billion, or about US$558,000, had been raised through the Kemenag Peduli initiative involving multiple stakeholders.
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Beyond physical reconstruction, the ministry is also implementing mental and spiritual recovery programs for affected communities through socio-religious assistance, spiritual counseling services, and the distribution of tens of thousands of copies of the Quran and other religious scriptures damaged by the floods.
“Recovery cannot be achieved merely by constructing buildings. Communities also need inner peace, spiritual guidance, and strengthened social cohesion. This is where the Ministry of Religious Affairs plays a role, working down to the village level and houses of worship,” Umar said.
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Earlier, the ministry distributed Rp75.82 billion, or about US$4.5 million, in emergency response assistance, consisting of Rp66.47 billion (US$ 3.9 million) from the state budget and Rp9.35 billion raised through the Kemenag Peduli initiative.
Of the total funds, Aceh received Rp42.88 billion, North Sumatra Rp21.39 billion, and West Sumatra Rp11.56 billion, the ministry said.
