Ganug Nugroho Adi, Surakarta, Central Java – Thousands of members of mass organizations affiliated with Indonesia's largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama and students of madrasah diniyah (Islamic elementary schools) and Quran reading classes staged a rally to protest the implementation of the Education and Culture Ministry's full-day school policy in Surakarta, Central Java, on Thursday.

Seven NU branch offices (PCNU) from Boyolali, Karanganyar, Klaten, Sragen, Sukoharjo and Wonogiri participated in the rally, during which they called for the revocation of Education and Culture Minister Regulation (Permendikbud) No.23/2017 on the implementation of the controversial policy.

Rally participants gathered at Sriwedari at around 1 p.m. before they held a four kilometer march along Jl. Slamet Riyadi to the Bundaran Gladag traffic circle in Surakarta.

Protesters displayed hundreds of banners and posters emblazoned with messages showing their rejection of the full-day school policy. They sang a song entitled Syubbanul Wathon (Love of the Homeland), which was composed by notable ulema KH Abdul Wahab Chasbullah, as they waved Red-and-White and NU flags.

"We reject the forceful implementation of the full-day school system. After this rally, we will hold an istighosah [mass prayer] for the good of all," said rally coordinator Muhammad Mahbub.

PCNU Karanganyar head Khusaini Hasan said the full-day school policy would negatively affect madrasah diniyah and other religious schools, whose activities were mostly held in the afternoon.

"Madrasah will die. Children will lose their chance to get an education on noble characters, good morals and religious values. Their time will be totally taken up learning academics," said Khusaini. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/08/24/nu-followers-protest-full-day-school-policy.html