RIAU ISLANDS — In addition to memorizing the Qur’an, STAR Ekselensia Dompet Dhuafa also targets its students to have a Quran recitation that is in accordance with the rules of tajweed. The school’s program also wants its students to have an official formal diploma from the state. The trick is to hold the Kejar Paket A Program which will later get a diploma equivalent to Elementary School (SD).
“In order to graduate from here, they also still have an official diploma from the state, so they aren’t left behind by others. We are trying later in grade 6 to be able to pursue a diploma of sekolah Paket A. We still hold general subjects now, although the portion is not as much as religious lessons,” said Ustazah Yanti.
Currently, STAR Ekselensia has 4 teaching staff or teachers. Each teacher holds the learning material according to their respective fields.
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One of them is Ustazah Anida. The Javanese woman shared her experience until she met STAR Ekselensia. Coincidentally, at that time, this tahfiz school was looking for teaching staff. The location of the school that is so close to her house, only a few steps away, gives her courage to be able to teach at this school.
Previously, she had also taught the Qur’an and religious knowledge to children several times. She continued, after graduating from high school, she decided to stay at a tahfiz pesantren (school) of memorizing 30 juz.
“Even though the school is new, I’m happy because I can be with the children since their early ages and also be with them at school since the beginning,” she said.
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In addition to being a memorization tutor, she also teaches general subjects, namely mathematics, general knowledge, science, and also skills. The harmony of religious studies and general studies is an important point in this school.
“Besides memorizing the Qur’an, we encourage and we help every child to find their passion in any field with the Qur’an as the basis of their values,” she added.
This school has a program entitled Parade Tasmi’ and Muhadarah (PTM), when every semester, the students will do tasmi’ according to their respective levels. Then from this muhadarah activity, the school can find out their abilities and skills in various fields, so that they can continue to be stimulated, so they can develop more and more.
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“The great hope at this STAR is that the Qur’an will become the basis of guidelines for children anytime and anywhere,” Ustazah Yanti said.
That way, later when they graduate, they can produce works or abilities that can compete with their friends outside. It could even be in the future, having a certificate or work of special abilities and skills is one of the graduation requirements.
For the monthly agenda, the school organizes learning outside the school area as well as visits to interesting places. It can be termed as an excursion. There is also a Market Day for entrepreneurial practice.
In addition, there is also a weekly agenda, that is extracurricular activity. Currently, the extracurricular program that has been running is hadrah. For regular days, students are required to come to school every Monday to Friday with tahfiz material every morning before starting other religious and public lessons. (Dompet Dhuafa/Muthohar)