Religion Ministry Prepares Madrasah Facilities to be Disabled-friendly

Jakarta – The Indonesian Religion Ministry has reported that 146 madrasas have improved their facilities and services to make them more disabled-friendly. 

"We have made adjustments to regulations and concrete actions to provide the best services for children with special needs," the ministry's Director-General of Islamic Education M Ali Ramdhani said on Tuesday. 

Ramdhani stated the ministry will continue to add to the list of madrasahs that have improved their facilities and services to be friendly to students with disabilities. In particular, an Inclusive Islamic Education Working Group has been established to advocate for the issue.

"In addition, working groups have also been established in 43 regions with 2,274 members, consisting of teachers, principals, madrasah supervisors, academics, facilitators, and special mentor teachers," he informed. 

Although the cost of adjusting disability-friendly education units is not cheap, it must be a priority because education is the right of all citizens.

According to Ramdhani, inclusive education is not only limited to opening access for people with disabilities to education but also ensures sustainability in undergoing the education process.

"People with disabilities are actors of development, not objects. So let's move together even though it takes an uphill battle,"

Currently, the number of students with disabilities in educational institutions under the auspices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs reaches 43,327 students spread across 4,046 madrasas, covering the levels of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah to Madrasah Aliyah.

Meanwhile, Dharma Wanita Persatuan (DWP) Advisor Eny Retno Yaqut said that the Ministry's attention to people with disabilities is not just the word. 

She asked the Ministry officials not only to wait for reports but to pick up the ball to ensure that people with disabilities get access to education.

According to her, inclusive Islamic education must also be an active part of the inclusive education ecosystem that synergizes and collaborates with all stakeholders, such as doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, experts, and university academics.

"By mobilizing inclusive education, we buy one get five. By realizing inclusive education, we will automatically get institutions that are child-friendly, gender-perspective, anti-violence, and humanist environments," she emphasized.