Systems innovation in the Lirloyo Islamic School Education

Abstract

Many traditional pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Indonesia are undergoing dramatic change in curriculum, internal culture and student demographics. The most traditional of pesantren are referred to as salafiya, and their methods and texts have remained largely unchanged for generations. The system established by the founding ulama is perpetuated by his successors. Pesantrensalafiya focus entirely on religious education, particularly classical texts, and exclude general subjects. This paper will examine changes taking at Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo isone of the largest and most famous Pesantrensalafiya in Indonesia. In particular it will focus on the Ar-Risalah Integrated SalafiPondok Pesantrenat Lirboyo, which has helped pioneer a new form of �integrated� schooling within the pesantren. Ar-Risalah�s curriculum includes the study of general subjects, such science and mathematics, as well as the traditional Islamic subjects which have been the mainstray of Lirboyo for more than a century. This innovative combination of old and neweducational systems within a pesantren salafiya is rare in Indonesia.