MUI: Ramadan School Break Needs Deeper Consideration
Jakarta – Cholil Nafis, the Head of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) for Dawah and Ukhuwah Affairs, has indicated that the proposal to close schools for a month during Ramadan deserves further scrutiny. He suggested that keeping schools open might be beneficial, considering the curricula and the fact that not all students in public schools are Muslim.
"Perhaps for pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), a month-long break during Ramadan could be feasible as their curricula and learning periods might be different. Some pesantren even start their break a week before Ramadan and return a week after," Cholil told reporters on Wednesday (1/12/2024). However, he believes that public schools should align with their curricula.
Cholil isn’t concerned about whether schools are closed or not, but rather about the productivity of students. "It’s not about the break or not, but about productivity," he explained.
He thinks it would be beneficial for students to continue learning in school. Educators could also integrate activities that reinforce character and spiritual education during Ramadan.
"Certainly, Ramadan should be observed in schools, but the curriculum should be enriched with character education and spiritual reinforcement. Currently, there’s more focus on teaching religion than educating about it," Cholil added.
He believes that fasting while studying can be habitual and not disruptive, but if it reduces productivity, it should be re-evaluated.
"Because essentially, fasting while studying, if made a habit, is not disruptive. But if it’s disruptive due to hunger, etc., then it’s not productive. The Prophet Muhammad SAW said that education during fasting should not be disrupted," Cholil concluded.
