Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has instructed his subordinates to draw up a list of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) to receive financial assistance from the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The financial support, Ma'ruf said, would help the boarding schools operate during the health and economic crisis.
"The amount of financial support [for each pesantren] will depend on the government's financial ability. Hopefully, it will be enough to support them to operate during the pandemic," the Vice President, who is a prominent Muslim cleric in the country, said during a virtual meeting with several ministers on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.
Ma'ruf went on to say that not all pesantren in the country would need such assistance.
In the meeting, he also ordered the administrations to provide boarding schools with COVID-19 test kits, better sanitation and clean water as well as to instruct students on health and hygiene, including physical distancing and handwashing, to prepare them for the so-called "new normal" phase.
"If we can provide them with the aforementioned necessities, it would be better for all," said Ma'ruf. (vny)