Jakarta, SPs NEWS: Law Number 18 of 2019 concerning Islamic Boarding Schools has been able to recognize educational services with the character of Islamic boarding schools, but has not been able to encourage equitable budget affirmation. This was revealed by Dr. Suwendi, M.Ag, a lecturer at the Graduate School of UIN Jakarta as well as the Head of the Islamic Religious Education Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training UIN Jakarta, when he was a resource person in the activity "Monitoring the Implementation of Law Number 18 of 2019 concerning Islamic Boarding Schools" organized by the Expertise Body of the Secretariat General of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, in South Tangerang, March 21, 2025. Present at the event were the Head of the Monitoring Center for the Implementation of the Law of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, Novianto Murti Hantoro, and the team of writers of the book Evaluation of Law Number 18 of 2019 of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia.

According to Suwendi, the presence of this Law has recognized Islamic boarding school education services through Formal Early Childhood Education (PDF), Mu'adalah Education Unit (SPM), and Ma'had Aly (MA) as formal pathway education units at the primary and secondary education levels to higher education, which is able to increase APK (Gross Participation Rate) education. "Islamic boarding school education services, namely PDF, SPM, and Ma'had Aly juridically have an equal and equal status as SD/MI, SMP/MTs, SMA/MA and universities. This pesantren education service is a genuine Islamic education born from the womb of Indonesia which has been present long before the existence of schools. So, Cak Nur also wrote that if Indonesia was not colonized by the Colonies, then the education that develops in Indonesia is Islamic boarding school education," said Suwendi.

Therefore, according to Suwendi, PDF, SPM, and Ma'had Aly have the same rights and treatment, both financially and civil effect for their graduates, as other schools and universities. "If the school receives BOS funds, professional allowances, as well as BOPTN and Bidik Misi for universities, then PDF, SPM, and Ma'had Aly are also entitled to receive the budget," said the man born in Indramayu and a doctor of Islamic education at UIN Jakarta.

Likewise, the graduates of pesantren education through PDF, SPM, and Ma'had Aly have the same opportunity both to continue to higher education and access to the world of work. Suwendi said that "Our national education system adheres to a multi-entry multi-exit policy, which means that every child of the nation from all educational paths, both formal, non-formal and informal, and even homeschooling, has the right to continue to a higher level of education in accordance with the provisions of applicable laws and regulations".

However, the fact is that in the field, even though there is already a Law on Islamic Boarding Schools and its derivatives, it turns out that PDF and SPM graduates have not been fully treated the same as school graduates. "So far, Islamic religious universities have relatively accepted PDF and SPM graduates, while other universities tend to still not fully understand this pesantren education," said Suwendi.

In terms of budget, the presence of the Islamic Boarding School Law has not been able to contribute to increasing the budget for Islamic boarding schools. The reason is, the Ministry of Religion, which has a very limited budget, has a great responsibility for the function of religion and the function of religious and religious education. "The budget allocation for the national education function of 660 trillion is very large used for schools through ministries outside the Ministry of Religion and Regional Governments, so that the budget in the Ministry of Religion for Islamic boarding schools is less than 1 trillion. This means that the budget for the pesantren is only 1/660 trillion of the entire budget of the education function," he said further.

The lack of affirmation by Regional Governments, both Provincial and Regency/City, to provide Islamic boarding school education services, according to Suwendi, is also due to Government Regulation Number 18 of 2022 concerning Amendments to Government Regulation Number 48 of 2oo8 concerning Education Funding.  "Regional Governments are limited in being unable to provide funding support to Islamic boarding schools because of Government Regulation Number 18 of 2022, especially article 81 paragraph (3). Substantively, the local government is prohibited from providing funding for Islamic boarding schools as long as the minimum education standards (SPM) in schools, namely kindergartens, elementary schools, junior highs, high schools, and vocational schools in their areas, are all met. Meanwhile, from all provinces and regencies/cities in Indonesia, almost all of them have not met this SPM. The implication is that the pesantren does not receive budget support from the local government. In my opinion, the norm of Article 81 paragraph (3) in PP 18 of 2022 must be revoked," said Suwendi.

The Regional Government can only provide support to Islamic boarding schools only through grant funds. "The allocation of grants in the APBD is very minimal, and even then not every pesantren should get grants every year. It must alternate with other Islamic boarding schools," said Suwendi further.