Pesantren, the COVID-19 Pandemic and Digital Transformation: A Global Development Perspective
Main Article Content
Abstract
Scholarly debate on Islamic education lingers in a system that is often criticized for its reluctance to accept any forms of modernization, and this present study tries to prove the opposite. By exploring the dynamics of pesantren (Islamic boarding school) as an Islamic educational institution in coping with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study observes the digital transformation made by pesantren during the time of the pandemic, and examines if this indicates development as per the concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While SDG 4 suggests that the adoption of the Internet and computers is essential and becomes an indicator of quality education, locally it is debated whether the utilization of digital technology is compatible with pesantren values. Yet, this study argues that the pandemic situation—which requires distance learning—has forced pesantren to compromise in utilizing digital technologies. Different responses are made by pesantren depending on their institutional types: traditional, semi-traditional-modern, and modern. But significant improvement is reflected in how they have used digital technologies before and during the pandemic; either in their main pedagogical practice, or virtual study of yellow books (Kitab kuning), or in institutional and administrative matters. The discussion focuses on how—despite incompatibility in their values—digital adaptation could determine pesantrens’ survival and viability in the twenty-first century, by reflecting on how they survived the crisis during post-colonial times. In this case, not only does pesantrens’ digital adaptation satisfy the fulfillment of basic needs as in SDG 4, but it also helps them connect with the outside world, and further engage on issues within other SDGs. Overall, the study supports scholarly discussion on the resilience of faith-based education; that, despite the predicted collapse, it still manages to survive and adapt to modernity and development.
Article Details
Issue
Section
Articles

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Andrios, B. (2021). Kompetensi digital siswa, santri & penyuluh agama. https://www.kemenag.go.id/read/kemenag-kominfo-sinergi-penguatan-kompetensi-digital-siswa-santri-penyuluh-agama. (3 September, 2021)
Astutik, Y. (2020). Pemerintah gelontorkan Rp2,5T untuk bantuan pesantren. CNBC Indonesia. https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/syariah/20200716182428-29-173343/pemerintah-gelontorkan-rp-25-t-untuk-bantuan-pesantren. (16 July, 2021)
Aziz, A. A., Supiana, S., & Zakiah, Q. Y. (2021). Implementasi Kebijakan Model Online School di Pesantren Modern Pada Masa Pandemi. Dirasah: Jurnal Studi Ilmu dan Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 4(1), 89-102.
Basid, A., Saimroh, S. (2020). Kesiapan pesantren di era kenormalan baru. Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh Era Covid-19. LITBANGDIKLAT PRESS.
Budiyanti, N., Supiana, S., & Zakiah, Q. Y. (2021). Implementasi Kebijakan Sistem Pembelajaran Daring di Pesantren Persatuan Islam 1-2 Bandung Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19. Dirasah: Jurnal Studi Ilmu dan Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 4(2), 45-60.
Daulay, P. H. (2007). Sejarah Pertumbuhan dan Perkembangan Pembaharuan Pendidikan. In Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Dhofier, Z. (1982). Tradisi pesantren: Studi tentang pandangan hidup kyai. In Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Fahham, A. M. (2020). Pembelajaran di Pesantren Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19. Pusat Penelitian Badan Keahlian DPR RI, XII (14).
Fauzi, A., Baharun, H., Mundiri, A., & Manshur, U. (2018). E-Learning in pesantren: Learning transformation based on the value of pesantren. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1114, No. 1, p. 012062). IOP Publishing.
Gough, D., Oliver, S., & Thomas, J. (Eds.). (2012). An introduction to systematic reviews. Sage.
Haryana, K. S., Husniah, H., Maryanche, O., & Jabar, D. A. M. (2021). Penarapan Platform Pembelajaran Digital Baca Al-Qur'an Daring Di Pesantren Baiturrahman Ciparay. Jurnal Pengabdian Tri Bhakti, 33-40.
Hefner, R. W. (Ed.). (2010). Making modern Muslims: The politics of Islamic education in Southeast Asia. University of Hawaii Press.
Jabar Expres. (2020). Ponpes Kembali Gelar KBM. Retrieved on January 4, 2022 from https://jabarekspres.com/berita/2020/07/18/ponpes-kembali-gelar-kbm/ (18 July, what year?)
Jaenudin, J. (2021). Terimbas Kebijakan Belajar Daring, Begini Strategi Pesantren Raudlatut Tholibin Babakan Ciwaringin. https://literasinews.pikiran-rakyat.com/pendidikan/pr-923325927/terimbas-kebijakan-belajar-daring-begini-strategi-pesantren-raudlatut-tholibin-babakan-ciwaringin?page=2 (26 December, 2021)
Lee, K. H. (1995). Education and politics in Indonesia, 1945-1965. University of Malaya Press.
Lin, M. H., & Chen, H. G. (2017). A study of the effects of digital learning on learning motivation and learning outcome. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(7), 3553-3564.
Mukhtar, U. (2020, August 21). Hampir semua pesantren di Indonesia sudah belajar tatap muka. Republika. https://www.republika.co.id/berita/qfemnw430/hampir-semua-pesantren-di-indonesia-sudah-belajar-tatap-muka (21 August, what year?)
Munawara. (2020). Pemaknaan kalangan pesantren terhadap teknologi digital (Studi kasus kalangan pesantren Tebuireng Jombang dalam penggunaan Teknologu digital).
Nata, A. (1997). Filsafat Pendidikan Islam. In Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Noor, F. A., van Bruinessen, M., & Sikand, Y. (2008). The madrasa in Asia: Political activism and transnational linkages (p. 304). Amsterdam University Press.
Pertiwi, W. K. (2020, November 10). Melihat Besarnya Kesenjangan Internet antara Indonesia Barat dan Timur. Kompas.com. Retrieved on November 16, 2021 https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2020/11/10/20020087/melihat-besarnya-kesenjangan-internet-antara-indonesia-barat-dan-timur?page=all (10 November, what year?)
Pesantren Go Digital. (n.d.). Pesantren go digital. https://pesantrengodigital.id
Prastiwi, M. (2021). 99 Persen Pondok Pesantren Sudah Adakan PTM Terbatas. Kompas.com. https://www.kompas.com/edu/read/2021/10/03/221221871/99-persen-pondok-pesantren-sudah-adakan-ptm-terbatas?page=all (3 October, what year?)
Pohl, F. (2009). Islamic education and the public sphere Today's pesantren in Indonesia. Waxmann Verlag.
Qiang, J. (2018). Effects of digital flipped classroom teaching method integrated cooperative learning model on learning motivation and outcome. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(6), 2213-2220.
Rahma, F. N., Alam, M. S. Q., Fauzi, B. A., Wulandari, F., & Safii, I. (2021). Implementasi Kebijakan Pembelajaran Tatap Muka di Pesantren Taruna Al Qur'an Putri Yogyakarta Masa Darurat Covid-19. Edukatif: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 3(4), 2027-2036.
Religious Affair Ministry of Indonesia. (n.d.) Statistik pesantren. https://ditpdpontren.kemenag.go.id/pdpp (17 November, 2021)
Rosen, L. D., & Weil, M. M. (1990). Computers, classroom instruction, and the computerphobia university student. Collegiate Microcomputer, 8, 275-283.
SAFEnet. (2021). Laporan hak-hak digital di Indonesia 2020 represi digital ditengah pandemi. https://id.safenet.or.id/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Laporan-Situasi-Hak-hak-Digital-2021-Daring-02.pdf (16 November, 2021)
Tayeb, A. (2018). Islamic education in Indonesia and Malaysia: Shaping minds, saving souls. Routledge.
Triono, A. L., (2020). Beberapa alasan pembelajaran kembali di pesantren di era normal baru. NU Online. https://nu.or.id/nasional/beberapa-alasan-pembelajaran-kembali-di-pesantren-di-era-normal-baru-vn77E (28 November, 2020)
United Nations. (n.d.). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/ (16 November, 2021)
United Nations. (2021). The sustainable development goals report 2021. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2021/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2021.pdf (16 November, 2021)
United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainable development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4 or https://sdg.data.gov/4-a-1/ (16 November, 2021)
United Nations. (n.d.). Accelerating digital transformation in challenging times. https://www.un.org/en/observances/telecommunication-day (2 January, 2022)
United Nations. (2021, May 17). Ensure digital technologies are 'a force for good', Guterres says in message for International Day. Rhttps://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1092052 (2 January, 2022)
Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Astutik, Y. (2020). Pemerintah gelontorkan Rp2,5T untuk bantuan pesantren. CNBC Indonesia. https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/syariah/20200716182428-29-173343/pemerintah-gelontorkan-rp-25-t-untuk-bantuan-pesantren. (16 July, 2021)
Aziz, A. A., Supiana, S., & Zakiah, Q. Y. (2021). Implementasi Kebijakan Model Online School di Pesantren Modern Pada Masa Pandemi. Dirasah: Jurnal Studi Ilmu dan Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 4(1), 89-102.
Basid, A., Saimroh, S. (2020). Kesiapan pesantren di era kenormalan baru. Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh Era Covid-19. LITBANGDIKLAT PRESS.
Budiyanti, N., Supiana, S., & Zakiah, Q. Y. (2021). Implementasi Kebijakan Sistem Pembelajaran Daring di Pesantren Persatuan Islam 1-2 Bandung Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19. Dirasah: Jurnal Studi Ilmu dan Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 4(2), 45-60.
Daulay, P. H. (2007). Sejarah Pertumbuhan dan Perkembangan Pembaharuan Pendidikan. In Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Dhofier, Z. (1982). Tradisi pesantren: Studi tentang pandangan hidup kyai. In Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Fahham, A. M. (2020). Pembelajaran di Pesantren Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19. Pusat Penelitian Badan Keahlian DPR RI, XII (14).
Fauzi, A., Baharun, H., Mundiri, A., & Manshur, U. (2018). E-Learning in pesantren: Learning transformation based on the value of pesantren. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1114, No. 1, p. 012062). IOP Publishing.
Gough, D., Oliver, S., & Thomas, J. (Eds.). (2012). An introduction to systematic reviews. Sage.
Haryana, K. S., Husniah, H., Maryanche, O., & Jabar, D. A. M. (2021). Penarapan Platform Pembelajaran Digital Baca Al-Qur'an Daring Di Pesantren Baiturrahman Ciparay. Jurnal Pengabdian Tri Bhakti, 33-40.
Hefner, R. W. (Ed.). (2010). Making modern Muslims: The politics of Islamic education in Southeast Asia. University of Hawaii Press.
Jabar Expres. (2020). Ponpes Kembali Gelar KBM. Retrieved on January 4, 2022 from https://jabarekspres.com/berita/2020/07/18/ponpes-kembali-gelar-kbm/ (18 July, what year?)
Jaenudin, J. (2021). Terimbas Kebijakan Belajar Daring, Begini Strategi Pesantren Raudlatut Tholibin Babakan Ciwaringin. https://literasinews.pikiran-rakyat.com/pendidikan/pr-923325927/terimbas-kebijakan-belajar-daring-begini-strategi-pesantren-raudlatut-tholibin-babakan-ciwaringin?page=2 (26 December, 2021)
Lee, K. H. (1995). Education and politics in Indonesia, 1945-1965. University of Malaya Press.
Lin, M. H., & Chen, H. G. (2017). A study of the effects of digital learning on learning motivation and learning outcome. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(7), 3553-3564.
Mukhtar, U. (2020, August 21). Hampir semua pesantren di Indonesia sudah belajar tatap muka. Republika. https://www.republika.co.id/berita/qfemnw430/hampir-semua-pesantren-di-indonesia-sudah-belajar-tatap-muka (21 August, what year?)
Munawara. (2020). Pemaknaan kalangan pesantren terhadap teknologi digital (Studi kasus kalangan pesantren Tebuireng Jombang dalam penggunaan Teknologu digital).
Nata, A. (1997). Filsafat Pendidikan Islam. In Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.
Noor, F. A., van Bruinessen, M., & Sikand, Y. (2008). The madrasa in Asia: Political activism and transnational linkages (p. 304). Amsterdam University Press.
Pertiwi, W. K. (2020, November 10). Melihat Besarnya Kesenjangan Internet antara Indonesia Barat dan Timur. Kompas.com. Retrieved on November 16, 2021 https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2020/11/10/20020087/melihat-besarnya-kesenjangan-internet-antara-indonesia-barat-dan-timur?page=all (10 November, what year?)
Pesantren Go Digital. (n.d.). Pesantren go digital. https://pesantrengodigital.id
Prastiwi, M. (2021). 99 Persen Pondok Pesantren Sudah Adakan PTM Terbatas. Kompas.com. https://www.kompas.com/edu/read/2021/10/03/221221871/99-persen-pondok-pesantren-sudah-adakan-ptm-terbatas?page=all (3 October, what year?)
Pohl, F. (2009). Islamic education and the public sphere Today's pesantren in Indonesia. Waxmann Verlag.
Qiang, J. (2018). Effects of digital flipped classroom teaching method integrated cooperative learning model on learning motivation and outcome. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(6), 2213-2220.
Rahma, F. N., Alam, M. S. Q., Fauzi, B. A., Wulandari, F., & Safii, I. (2021). Implementasi Kebijakan Pembelajaran Tatap Muka di Pesantren Taruna Al Qur'an Putri Yogyakarta Masa Darurat Covid-19. Edukatif: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 3(4), 2027-2036.
Religious Affair Ministry of Indonesia. (n.d.) Statistik pesantren. https://ditpdpontren.kemenag.go.id/pdpp (17 November, 2021)
Rosen, L. D., & Weil, M. M. (1990). Computers, classroom instruction, and the computerphobia university student. Collegiate Microcomputer, 8, 275-283.
SAFEnet. (2021). Laporan hak-hak digital di Indonesia 2020 represi digital ditengah pandemi. https://id.safenet.or.id/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Laporan-Situasi-Hak-hak-Digital-2021-Daring-02.pdf (16 November, 2021)
Tayeb, A. (2018). Islamic education in Indonesia and Malaysia: Shaping minds, saving souls. Routledge.
Triono, A. L., (2020). Beberapa alasan pembelajaran kembali di pesantren di era normal baru. NU Online. https://nu.or.id/nasional/beberapa-alasan-pembelajaran-kembali-di-pesantren-di-era-normal-baru-vn77E (28 November, 2020)
United Nations. (n.d.). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/ (16 November, 2021)
United Nations. (2021). The sustainable development goals report 2021. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2021/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2021.pdf (16 November, 2021)
United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainable development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4 or https://sdg.data.gov/4-a-1/ (16 November, 2021)
United Nations. (n.d.). Accelerating digital transformation in challenging times. https://www.un.org/en/observances/telecommunication-day (2 January, 2022)
United Nations. (2021, May 17). Ensure digital technologies are 'a force for good', Guterres says in message for International Day. Rhttps://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1092052 (2 January, 2022)
Yusri, D. (2019). Pesantren dan Kitab Kuning. Al-Ikhtibar: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(2), 647-654.