The establishment of a standalone Ministry of Hajj and Umrah marks a new chapter for Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag). This change allows Kemenag to focus on Islamic education and religious life development. President Prabowo Subianto approved the Directorate General of Pesantren on Santri Day 2025 as part of this transformation.
The formation of the standalone Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is not a reduction in Kemenag's role, but a normal phase in bureaucratic evolution that opens strategic opportunities. Now, Kemenag can consolidate its energy and resources to focus on Islamic education development and religious life, aligned with the government's vision.
A strong signal of this commitment is President Prabowo Subianto's approval of the Directorate General of Pesantren on Santri Day 2025. This policy recognizes pesantren as architects of national civilization and character. By separating pesantren affairs from the Directorate General of Islamic Education, the government shows seriousness in handling this educational ecosystem more specifically.
Kemenag oversees a vast education network: around 87,000 madrasahs, 42,000 pesantren, and 4.6 million santri, an extraordinary national asset. The new directorate will address classic challenges like governance, improving teacher and kiai quality, and curriculum modernization. The goal is to transform pesantren into professional institutions while preserving their core principles, building an intellectual and moral network reaching remote areas.
Beyond education, Kemenag can optimize religious social philanthropy. Data from the National Zakat Amil Agency (BAZNAS) shows zakat collection realization from January to December 2024 reached Rp 40.509 trillion, potential fitrah zakat for 2025 at Rp 8 trillion, and cash waqf assets up to October 2024 at Rp 2.7 trillion. Kemenag's role as national policy mentor is crucial, with suggestions for a special directorate integrating Zakat, Infak, Sedekah, and Wakaf (ZISWAF) similar to models in other Muslim countries.