Islamic Education

A debate is going on within Islamic circles here in Indonesia regarding the nature of Islamic education. Actually, this debate is similar to debates going on in Islamic communities throughout the world, and the debate in Indonesia is influenced, in part, by these other debates, particularly the one going on in Egypt. (Al Azhar university in Cairo had been a model for Islamic universities in Indonesia and the changes at Al Azhar influenced the development of UINs in Indonesia.)

With the foundation of an independent Indonesia, there also came the formation of Islamic institutes of higher learning. These institutions, known as IAINs (State Institute of Islamic Studies), were established throughout the country with the intent of providing an explicitly Islamic education, distinct from the education students would receive at 'secular' institutions such as the University of Indonesia. Faculties included the study of Arabic, Sharia (Islamic law), Koranic interpretation and Islamic propagation. With the spread of these IAINs, the development of pesantrens (Islamic boarding schools), and the establishment of Islamic courts, there was a need for religious teachers and scholars. However, as a saturation point was reached, the need for religious teachers became less. At the same time, Indonesia started to be influenced by the development that was sweeping South East Asia and there then grew a multitude of opportunities for young people to become involved in business and technology. The consequence for the IAINs was a marked decrease in enrollment, with in some cases, a complete lack of interest.

The two main IAINs, Jakarta and Yogyakarta, decided to expand to include non-traditional subjects such as the hard and social sciences. In order to accommodate this change, the institutions altered their identities, becoming UINs (State Islamic universities). However, in order to maintain their Islamic identity, the institutions adopted the mantra of pursuing the 'Islamasization' of knowledge. So-called 'secular' subjects would be taught with an Islamic perspective. There was little thought given to what this might look like and in practice it often involved combining Koranic texts with course material. Given their recent development and mixed mandate, these faculties are at a disadvantage in competing with the well-established programs at UI and University of Gadjah Mada. The government has intervened by heavily subsidizing the UIN programs so that they are, in relative terms, very inexpensive.

The debate in Indonesia, therefore, has two competing focal points. First, should these institutions of Islamic higher education include 'secular' subjects or should they focus solely on the Islamic sciences? Second, how can these religious institutions remain viable given declining interest in an exclusively religious education? UIN Yogyakarta is a curious institution resulting from these two competing forces. Combined with faculties in Information Technology and Science, and Social Sciences, are faculties in Sharia, Ushulludin (Islamic Theology), and Dakwah (Missions). It therefore has a curious split identity between a very modern streak, as represented by the faculty of science and my own presence, and a very traditionalist streak.

As I said before, this debate is not peculiar to Indonesia and has raged in such iconic institutions as Al Azhar. In many ways, this debate is about the role of Islam in the world today and so it is a particularly important discussion for many people, whether they are Muslim or not.