MUI Pesantren Commission Encourages Economic Independence

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Pesantren Commission is promoting greater economic independence among Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) by improving human resource quality, developing business units, and leveraging digital technology. The initiative was one of the key conclusions of the Second Multaqa Ru’asa Al-Ma’ahid (Meeting or Forum of Islamic Boarding School Leaders/Heads), organized by the MUI Pesantren Commission at the Bandung School of Informatics and Computer Management and Academy of Informatics and Computer Management on July 18, 2026.

The forum brought together dozens of pesantren leaders from various regions. Even, it also served as more than just an opportunity for fellowship and networking.

MUI Deputy Secretary-General, KH Choirul Sholeh Rasyid, said the event was part of the MUI Pesantren Commission’s efforts to strengthen the role of pesantren, not only as institutions of education and religious outreach, but also as centers for community economic empowerment.

“We all know that pesantren are among the largest Islamic educational institutions, with millions of students and tens of thousands of educational units,” KH Choirul said at the MUI Central Office on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, as quoted from mui.or.id.

According to him, this enormous potential needs to be developed through efforts to strengthen human resource capacity and pesantren business units. One of the programs being promoted is Santripreneur, an initiative designed to equip santri (Islamic boarding school students) with skills that can support economic development within their pesantren communities.

The program is being implemented in collaboration with the Bandung School of Informatics and Computer Management and Academy of Informatics and Computer Management. Students participating in the program are expected to return to their respective pesantren after completing their education and become drivers of economic empowerment in their communities.

“The main objective is to create economically independent pesantren by improving human resource quality and strengthening business units,” he said. In addition to improving human resources, the MUI Pesantren Commission is also encouraging pesantren to utilize their land for productive economic activities.

In this case, the Pesantren Commission is working in synergy with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, to support the development of productive enterprises within pesantren.