REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Ma'ruf Amin aspires to develop centers of civilization by building more Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren, after concluding his term as the Indonesian vice president later in October.

"I am planning to build more pesantrens somewhere and designate them as educational centers. I want to build centers of civilization in regions," he remarked during a dialogue with journalists at the Vice Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Friday.

Amin noted that after completing his duties, he will seek to go back to his pre-vice presidential life by focusing on his role as an ulema.

"Yes, I will return to my 'habitat' and habits. This country has been simply tasking me with vice presidential duties. Next, I will once again play my role as an ulema and develop education through pesantrens," he affirmed.

Amin then spoke about making preparations to build a college within the An Nawawi Islamic Boarding School, a pesantren managed by him that is located in Tanara Sub-district, Serang District, Banten.

"In Tanara, Banten, I am currently preparing for a college that will focus on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). Hence, the pesantren will offer junior high, senior high, and college levels of education. I will also collaborate with parties to provide vocational studies at the college," he explained.

The vice president revealed that he also plans to build new pesantrens in several regions in Indonesia.

"I will look for other places for building educational centers, with the aim of helping local communities to progress," he remarked.

Amin then noted that on January 14, Tanara will host an environmental preservation event involving the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Indonesian Navy.

The event will feature a tree planting and environment clean-up activities, he noted. 

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