TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has launched a new initiative to introduce a love-based curriculum for religious education in schools.

The curriculum, which aims to promote empathy, tolerance, and spirituality among students, is being developed under the leadership of Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar.

To help popularize the initiative, Kemenag has enlisted the support of Raffi Ahmad, the Special Envoy of the Presidency for Youth Development and a well-known public figure. Raffi was presented at the Kick Off Discussing Islamic Education (Ngopi) event in Jakarta on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, themed "Love-Based Curriculum, Preparing the Golden Generation!"

"The love-based curriculum is not just a concept, but must be an integral part of everyday learning," said Kemenag's Director General of Islamic Education, Suyitno, during the event at the Haji Asrama Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.

The event, attended by hundreds of madrasah students, was opened by Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Romo HR Muhammad Syafi'i, alongside education practitioner Najeela Shihab and television personality Nagita Slavina as the host.

Suyitno emphasized the importance of collaboration between madrasahs, educators, and young generations to ensure Islamic education adapts to modern challenges. He stated that madrasahs should not only focus on academic excellence but also on nurturing character based on love and social empathy.

Deputy Minister Romo HR Muhammad Syafi'i highlighted that the love-based curriculum is a strategic approach to shaping students into more caring and tolerant individuals.

"When we talk about love, we talk about humanity, tolerance, and shared responsibility," he said.

Minister Nasaruddin Umar explained that the curriculum is designed to help students appreciate Indonesia's religious diversity.

"This initiative encourages religious teachers to instill love and acceptance instead of focusing on differences and fostering division," he said after meeting Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf on March 11.

Nasaruddin also revealed plans to discuss the curriculum with other religious organizations, including the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI) and the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI).

"This is for all religions. We will invite all religious organizations to participate," he told Tempo after the meeting.

The love-based curriculum is set to be implemented in 42,000 islamic boarding school across the country, with a focus on fostering nationalism, modernizing religious teachings, and using love as a foundation to bridge differences and reduce sectarian tensions.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, M. Raihan Muzzaki, and Antara contributed to the writing of this article.

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