PPIM Survey Unveils 3 Factors Related to Teacher Intolerance and Radicalism

NETRALNEWS.COM – The Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) stated that there are three factors related to teacher intolerance and radicalism. PPIM Executive Director Saiful Umam said three factors were Islamist views, demographic aspects and community organizations (Ormas), and sources of Islamic knowledge.

This was conveyed by Saiful in the Launching of the Faded National Survey of PPIM-Pelita: Portrait of the Religious Teachers of Indonesia, Tuesday (16/10/2018).

“The Islamic view of teachers refers to the aspect of how Islamic law is applied in all political domains, showing a feature known as radical Islamism. The Islamic-radical understanding emphasizes the importance of sharia being the main reference source in all aspects of life, ”explained Saiful.

In addition, there are various demographic aspects that can be attributed to teacher intolerance and radicalism. The demographic aspects seen in the 2018 PPIM survey are gender, school versus madrasah, public versus private, subjects managed by teachers, income, education level, and age of teachers.

Here are the findings:

Female teachers have a higher opinion of intolerance to followers of other religions than male teachers.

Female teachers have higher opinions and radical action intentions than male teachers.

Teachers of Islamic schools are more intolerant of followers of other religions than school teachers.

The only significant difference is in the External Tolerance Opinion, school teachers are more tolerant of followers of other religions than madrasah teachers.

If it is based on the status of public teachers vs private school teachers, significant differences occur in the opinion and intentions of tolerance for followers of other religions. Private school / Islamic school teachers are more intolerant than public school / Islamic school teachers. Private school / Islamic school teachers are more radical than public school/Islamic school teachers.

Significant differences only occur in the tolerance of followers of other religions, radical opinions, and Radical Action Intentions when based on the subjects being taught. When viewed from the mean, the results show that teachers of Language (Arabic, Indonesian and English), Sports and Arts, Regional Languages, have higher intolerance, opinions, and radical action intentions than teachers of other subjects. In addition, the lower the income, the higher the opinion and intentions of radical action.

Kindergarten / RA teachers also have higher intolerant opinions towards adherents of other religions than SD / MI, SMP / MTs, and SMA / MA teachers. The higher the teacher’s age, the higher the external tolerance opinion, the lower the opinion and intention of radical action, ”explained Saiful.

What about the role of Islamic organizations against teacher intolerance and radicalism? Infied (2016) Study on Tolerance and Radicalism in Indonesia (Research in 4 regions: Tasikmalaya, Jogjakarta, Bojonegoro, and Kupang).

The finding: the struggle for influence between Islamic organizations played a role in producing conservative tendencies and symptoms of intolerance and even radicalism (Case, Tasikmalaya). The results of the 2018 PPIM survey showed that teachers felt the closest to five mass organizations, namely Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Wathan, Majlis Tafsir Alquran, and the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).

To note, the PPIM 2018 survey population target is 2,237 Muslim teachers in schools / Islamic school at the Kindergarten / RA, SD / MI, SMP / MTs, SMA / K / MA levels who teach all subjects in Indonesia. Teachers are teachers of Language, Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MIPA), Social Sciences, Islamic Religious Education and Character, Arts and Skills, Guidance and Counseling, Class Teachers, Principals (not teaching), and others.

“PPIM is focusing its field of study and research on topics related to Islam and society. The survey was conducted between 6 August to 6 September 2018. The research samples were taken from 34 provinces in Indonesia, where each province was randomly selected by a district/city based on a probability proportional to size (PPS) technique, “explained Saiful.