National Santri Day 2026: Puan Urges Government to Make Pesantren Strategic Partners in Development

KOMPAS.com - Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani urged both the central and regional governments to consider pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) as strategic partners in national development by involving students in identifying issues and formulating solutions for the community.

This statement was made by Puan during the National Santri Day 2026, which is commemorated every October 22.

On this occasion, Puan extended her greetings for National Santri Day 2026 to all santri and the extended family of pesantren across Indonesia.

She also appreciated the kiai, nyai, ustaz, ustazah, and families who continuously support santri with dedication and service.

"Thank you to the extended family of pesantren who continue to nurture knowledge and foster a sense of responsibility to the community,” Puan said in an official statement received by Kompas.com on Thursday (10/22/2026).

According to her, the close relationship between santri and the grassroots community serves as a strong social capital to help the government understand various issues while also exploring potential in local environments.

Daily involvement with residents gives santri an understanding of the community's needs.

"Many ideas arise from the experiences of santri supporting the community. The government needs to listen sincerely and help strong ideas find pathways for realization,” Puan added.

She further noted that santri who have initiated beneficial activities should be connected with parties that can assist in broadening the reach of their service. This way, the benefits of these activities can be felt by a larger segment of the community.

Puan assessed that the involvement of santri in national development should ideally begin from the problem mapping stage to discussing solutions.

This engagement is expected to enrich the government's perspective in formulating policies that align with the community's needs.

The active role of santri is in line with the theme of National Santri Day 2026, Santri Strengthening the Nation Towards Golden Indonesia. This spirit also pays tribute to the struggle of Kiai Haji (KH) Hasyim Asy'ari in defending Indonesia’s independence.

“It is this spirit that must continue to be ignited among santri, even though the nature of the struggle has changed,” Puan said.

Sustained synergy, not merely ceremonial

Puan emphasized that government support and trust in pesantren must be ongoing, not just during National Santri Day each year.

“Trust will grow when santri feel that their contributions are valued and have an impact on the community's life, rather than only being remembered during National Santri Day,” remarked the granddaughter of Bung Karno.