Govt taps places of worship to bolster religious education

indonesianupdates.com_admin

3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs is leveraging houses of worship to help meet the need for religious education, particularly for children who lack access to religious teachers.

Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar said the approach is part of the ministry’s efforts to ensure that every child has access to religious education while strengthening the role of houses of worship in their communities.

“Children must not be left without religious education. That is why we are partnering with houses of worship,” he said in his address at the National Dialogue of Christian Synod Leaders in Jakarta on Friday.

The minister cited Muslim children in Papua and eastern Indonesia who lack access to religious education, saying the ministry has entrusted them to mosques for religious instruction. Similarly, Christian children are entrusted to churches for their religious education.

“This applies to children of other faiths as well,” he added.

According to Nasaruddin, houses of worship with adequate resources for religious education can participate in the effort while expanding their role as centers for education and guidance.

“In every place of worship, there are people who are capable of imparting religious values. Although their methods may not match those of a qualified teacher, having religious instruction is far better than having none at all,” Nasaruddin said.

The minister added that religious education should serve as a means of instilling compassion rather than promoting doctrines that pit one faith against another.

He said his ministry is currently assessing the impact of religious education on children’s behavior, including how values of compassion are reflected in their relationships with others and with all living beings.

In a broader context, Nasaruddin encouraged religious institutions to contribute to peacebuilding through religious diplomacy or spiritual diplomacy.