Brokerage rampant: Ministry of Religious Affairs to reform Indonesian student dispatch to Al-Azhar, Cairo

Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs is set to overhaul the management of student admissions to Al-Azhar University in Cairo due to widespread brokerage practices. The issue surfaced during a meeting between the Vice Minister of Religious Affairs and the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt.

Ambassador Kuncoro Giri Waseso reported encountering ongoing brokerage activities for Indonesian students seeking admission to Al-Azhar. He expressed concern over the potential involvement of Indonesian citizens as mediators, possibly connected to radical networks. "These non-academic issues are numerous. Besides brokerage practices, we are also paying serious attention to the potential spread of radical ideologies. Therefore, stronger governance is needed from the moment students depart Indonesia," Kuncoro stated.

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These non-academic issues are numerous. Besides brokerage practices, we are also paying serious attention to the potential spread of radical ideologies. Therefore, stronger governance is needed from the moment students depart Indonesia.

The Indonesian Embassy in Cairo is prepared to enhance coordination with the Ministry of Religious Affairs to establish a robust system for data management, guidance, and protection of Indonesian students in Egypt. The meeting also touched upon strengthening educational cooperation between Indonesia and Egypt, including plans to invite the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar to Indonesia through diplomatic channels.

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The desire of Indonesian students to study at Al-Azhar is immense, while the available quota is limited. We must manage this situation so they still have opportunities to study through clear and safe mechanisms under government guidance.

Vice Minister Romo Syafi'i acknowledged the continuously rising interest among Indonesians to study at Al-Azhar, noting that the available quota has not kept pace with this demand. "The desire of Indonesian students to study at Al-Azhar is immense, while the available quota is limited. We must manage this situation so they still have opportunities to study through clear and safe mechanisms under government guidance," he said.

The Ministry aims to create a system that minimizes brokerage and ensures all Indonesian students in Egypt are properly registered and supervised. To achieve this, the Ministry is open to developing joint regulations with Al-Azhar to align recommendation and admission processes. Additionally, Romo Syafi'i proposed establishing preparatory classes or Al-Azhar courses in Indonesia, allowing part of the study to be completed domestically with visiting faculty from Al-Azhar before students relocate to Egypt. This approach could enhance academic quality and reduce the concentration of students departing for Egypt.

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We must first build mutual understanding with Al-Azhar so that the regulations we draft are in line with their admission requirements. What we are looking for are concrete solutions so that our children can still study there with better guidance.