A love-based curriculum mainstreams how love becomes the spirit in Indonesia's education world, allowing it to grow with an inclusive mindset and the ability to view differences as part of the nation's diversity and wealth that must be preserved and maintained. This love-based curriculum is an innovative idea in the education sector initiated by the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Nasaruddin Umar.

This concept highlights the importance of values such as affection, tolerance, and peace in the learning process. The Love Curriculum aims to foster or produce young generations with noble character, capable of appreciating differences based on love, and contributing positively to a pluralistic or diverse society.

In the era of Prof. Dr. KH. Nasaruddin Umar M.A.'s leadership as the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, he introduced a new curriculum concept within the Ministry of Religious Affairs' education scope, promoting and mainstreaming how love becomes the spirit in national life, especially in the education sector.

Nasaruddin believes that all religions teach love and goodness to their followers. No religion teaches violence. On various occasions, the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal National Mosque firmly believes that the closer and more aware religious adherents are of their respective teachings, the world will be peaceful and serene, possibly to the extent that the state no longer needs police.

The challenge ahead is how to deeply consolidate religious teachings to society. This brilliant idea was born from his life experiences as a scholar, religious figure, Grand Imam of Istiqlal, and also as an academician. The concern of the PTIQ Rector towards two global phenomena that entangle and damage the order of love and affection. Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attraction.

In the philosophical context, love is a good trait that inherits all goodness, feelings of compassion and affection. Education is a conscious and planned effort to create a learning atmosphere and learning process so that students actively develop their potential to have spiritual religious strength, self-control, personality, intelligence, and noble character.

Nasaruddin Umar, a village boy from Ujung Village, Bone Regency, South Sulawesi, who is currently part of President Prabowo Subianto's Red and White Cabinet serving as the Minister of Religious Affairs, seems serious in campaigning his love-based curriculum idea to provide a touch of serenity on the beloved land of Indonesia. The most phenomenal and unforgettable by the history of world civilization is the kiss of the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, on the Pope's forehead, reciprocated by the Pope's kiss on his hand. These two acts by world religious figures, when deeply contemplated and studied, can be believed to flow towards a single estuary called "LOVE."

Kissing someone's forehead is certainly motivated by affection, and kissing someone else's hand is a symbol of concern. Affection and concern are two main supports to feel the sincerity of love. There is no love without a sense of affection, and there is no true love without exemplifying concern for the beloved.

The birth of the historic "Istiqlal Declaration" was based on the anxiety of a human named Nasaruddin Umar towards two global phenomena that tear apart and damage the order of love. This great idea was declared at Istiqlal Mosque Jakarta, the fifth-largest mosque in the world, which became the vision of the charismatic scholar Anre Gurutta Kiyai Haji Nasaruddin Umar, who is currently the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

Marked by various acts of violence and conflicts that tear apart human dignity and distort religion into a tool of violence and hostility. Currently, Prof. Dr. KH. Nasaruddin Umar, M.A. is officially the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in President Prabowo Subianto's Red and White Cabinet.

Nasaruddin Umar makes the love-based curriculum a "vehicle" in realizing the teachings of love, which is a very appropriate choice because the curriculum is the main spirit in the education system. Instilling religious values, this kind of curriculum emphasizes the importance of religious values in shaping students' character. However, it does not mean imposing a particular religion, but rather teaching universal values of goodness. Therefore, developing students' empathy invites them to understand and feel others' feelings, enabling them to build harmonious relationships, and increasing tolerance. The love-based curriculum encourages students to appreciate differences in religion, ethnicity, language, and culture, and to resolve conflicts peacefully based on love.

I conclude this writing, God willing, hopefully not mistaken, with full confidence that the sincerity of Prof. Dr. KH. Nasaruddin Umar, M.A. in providing a breakthrough of his great ideas in interpreting the Love-Based Curriculum is for us to learn the importance of the sincerity of love in this context.

The great hope is that this Love-Based Curriculum has great potential to change the sweet face of education in Indonesia. Therefore, cooperation from all national elements is needed to realize the Love-Based Curriculum.

My conclusion is that this Love Curriculum is an educational concept that is very relevant to the current challenges of the times. By instilling the values of love and affection and upholding the value of tolerance from an early age, it is hoped that the younger generation can grow and develop into Indonesian people with noble character and love, capable of building a brighter future for the nation and state that can be admired by other major countries in the world.

This article was written by:
Prof. Dr. H. Andi Salman Maggalatung, S.H., M.H.
Professor at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and Expert Staff to the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

Released on news.detik.com
On February 3, 2025
(Photo by: news.detik.com)
https://news.detik.com/kolom/d-7761666/cinta-sebagai-roh-utama-dalam-sistem-pendidikan-di-indonesia

(RMr)

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