Pesantren or islamic boarding school is one of the oldest informal educational institutions in Indonesia. The contribution of pesantren in educating the life of the nation also cannot be underestimated. 

The Ministry of Religious Affairs noted that there are 26,973 boarding schools spread throughout the province in Indonesia. West Java has the most number, which is 8,343 boarding schools. Then, followed by Banten, East Java, and Central Java in the range of 3-4 thousand boarding schools. 

As an institution established by the community, pesantren has a strategic role, not only in the fields of education, social, religion, and society, but also in the field of economic empowerment.

The establishment of pesantren in a number of areas, proved to help boost at least the economic level of the community in the surrounding environment. Empowerment of santri is also important as an effort to debrief santri when jumping in the community later.  

This step of economic empowerment of pesantren is indeed a long continuous government program through cross-ministries. In the second government of President Joko Widodo's leadership, one of the ministries that is very intense to have concern for pesantren is the Ministry of SOEs, which is captained by Erick Thohir. 

In his many visits to pesantren, Erick showed his commitment by being ready to cooperate with 1,000 pesantren on the island of Java with the support of capital and Islamic banking services.

Also entrepreneurship opportunities, among others, with Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) and Pertashop (Pertamina mini gas station). This commitment is part of efforts to build the economic independence of pesantren, as well as raise the balance of economic development of the community.

Advancing the economy is part of national resilience, and our contribution is how Indonesia has always advanced, always victorious, 

I really appreciate the plan of soE minister Erick Tohir to make traditional boarding schools as pillars of the populist-based economy, I think the minister of SOEs is very well aware that pesantren huts must be invited together in lifting the general economy, the caretakers of pesantren huts are a gathering place for muslims both Muslims and non-Muslims in grass roots. 

One of them is Erick Tohir invites pesantren huts together with SOEs to manage Pertashop managed by Pertamina, then BRI Link owned by Bank Rakyat Indonesia, and Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) which is committed to providing support for banking products and services designed to be able to lift the economy of small entrepreneurs in the region and also among boarding schools.

In the meeting of SOE Minister Erick Tohir with Chairman of PWNU East Java KH Marzuki Mustamar, Chairman of MUI East Java KH Hasan Mutawakkil Alallah and also one of the elders of east Java who is also Deputy of mui Central Advisory Board KH Anwar Iskandar, Erick Tohir will ask the ranks of SOEs under his ministry to accelerate future performance programs with traditional pesantren huts,  As a santri I fully support the program of the Minister of SOEs, and I also invite students to start learning to build economic, administrative, professional, and creative sciences.

It is very possible if this is done there will be many more large entrepreneurs in the future. And I don't think this opportunity should ever be wasted. I invite the whole extended family of pesantren together ulil amri, in this case the government, to knit together, build the independence of pesantren.