PPIM Survey: Portrait of Teachers’ Religion in Indonesia

The total sample of teachers surveyed reached 2,237 people from 34 provinces in Indonesia. The sample of female teachers was 1,335 people (59.79 percent), while male teachers were 898 people (40.21 percent). The teacher sample was also classified into several categories; 1172 public school teachers (52.39 percent), 1065 private people (47.61 percent), 925 civil servant teachers (41.35 percent), 270 non-PNS employees (12.08 percent), 562 permanent foundations (25.13), and honorary 479 people (21.42).

The survey was conducted between 6 August to 6 September 2018. To measure the level of intolerance and radicalism, this survey used two measuring instruments. First, the Implicit Association Test (IAT). This measuring tool was used to see the potential for teacher intolerance and radicalism implicitly. Second, a questionnaire. This was to explicitly assess intolerance and radicalism and the factors that influence them.

The survey results show that as many as 63.07 percent of teachers in Indonesia had intolerant opinions towards followers of other religions (IAT). Meanwhile, from the questionnaire data, there was 56.90 percent of teachers with intolerant opinions.

In this opinion scale, as many as 56 percent of teachers stated that they did not approve of non-Muslims establishing religion-based schools in their homes. Meanwhile, 21 percent of teachers disagreed that their non-Muslim neighbors held religious events.

This survey also portrays the intention of teacher intolerance in Indonesia, not just opinions. As a result, 37.77 percent had intentions of intolerant action against adherents of other religions. For example, if there is an opportunity, as much as 34 percent of teachers are willing to sign a petition rejecting the establishment of a non-Islamic religious-based school in their neighborhood. Meanwhile, 29 percent of teachers wish to sign the petition rejecting heads of education offices of different religions.

Meanwhile, in terms of radical opinion, the survey shows that 46, 09 percent of teachers had radical opinions towards non-Muslims. As many as 33 percent of teachers encouraged others to fight to establish an Islamic state. Meanwhile, 29 percent even stated that they agreed to join the jihad in Syria, Iraq, and the Southern Philippines to fight for the establishment of an Islamic state.

As for the intention of radical action, as many as 41.26 percent of teachers had the opportunity to commit to a radical action intention if there was an opportunity. From the results of the questionnaire questions, as many as 27.59 percent of teachers wish to encourage others to take part in fighting to establish an Islamic state. 13.30 percent of teachers wanted to attack police who arrest people trying to establish an Islamic state.

Three factors could be linked to teacher intolerance and radicalism in Indonesia. First, Islamism. A view that emphasized how Islamic law should be used as the main source of reference in all aspects of life, including in the political realm.

“The Islamism factor is an important variable related to teacher intolerance and radicalism,” he said at the PPIM 2018 Survey Launching event in Jakarta, Tuesday (16/10).

Then what was the picture of Islamism among teachers in Indonesia? As many as 62.22 percent of teachers agree that the best government system was based on Islamic law. As many as 82.77 percent of teachers admitted that they agreed that Islam was the solution to all society’s problems.

What was quite surprising was that 23.42 percent of teachers agreed that the Indonesian state based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution was taghut. Meanwhile, 75.98 percent agree if the government imposes Islamic law on its adherents.

The second, the demographic aspect. Gender, private and public schools, income, subjects taught, education level, and age were also linked to teacher intolerance and radicalism. For example, female teachers (mean = 46.53) had a higher opinion of intolerance to followers of other religions than male teachers (mean = 48.05). Likewise in the radical action intentions: female teachers (mean = 48.08; mean = 50.08), while male teachers (mean = 55.1; mean = 56.3).

Even in terms of income. The lower the income the higher the opinion (F = 3,390, p = 0.009) and the intention of radical action (F = 10.481, p = 0.000). The older the teacher showed the more tolerant, and the lower the opinion and intention of radical action (M = 40.55; F20.037; p = 0.000; R2 = 9 percent).

Education level was also related to teacher intolerance and radicalism. Kindergarten / RA teachers had higher intolerant opinions (F = 4.339; p = 0.005) towards non-Muslims than SD / MI, SMP / MTs, and SMA / MA teachers.

Third, mass organizations and sources of Islamic knowledge. According to Umam, the involvement of teachers with Islamic organizations either now or when they were students was also a factor related to intolerance and radicalism among teachers.

The teachers claimed to be close to five Islamic organizations, namely Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) 46.22 percent (mean = 48.33), Muhammadiyah 19.19 percent (mean = 46.46), Nahdlatul Wathan (NW) 3 percent (mean = 44.03), the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) 2.28 percent (mean = 39.04), and the Al-Qur’an Tafseer Council (MTA) 1.21 percent. However, only 33.65 percent of teachers admitted to being very active/active in these Islamic organizations. Meanwhile, the rest (66.35 percent) admitted that they were not / very active.

“The less the mean, the higher the intolerance,” he explained.

“There was a relationship between those who were active in mass organizations and intolerant or not, I think so. We did not want to say that this (mass organization) was more intolerant, no, ”he added.

From several findings generated from the survey, three recommendations were put forward. First, increasing the number of programs that provided teachers’ experiences to experience diversity and diversity.

Second, improving teacher welfare by establishing a minimum teacher payment standard without differentiating between private and public. 

Third, empowerment of institutions that produced teachers – such as the Tarbiyah faculty, paying more attention to teachers of non-National Exam subjects, honorary teachers, and private teachers so that there was no difference in treatment.