One of the branches of knowledge that remains unfamiliar to many Indonesians is astronomy. Not just the general public, even students in Islamic boarding schools are not well acquainted with astronomy because not all pesantrens include it in their curriculum.
However, if we pay attention, the scope of astronomy is closely related to the daily lives of students. This field, sometimes referred to as Islamic Astronomy, studies the movement of celestial bodies, specifically focusing on natural phenomena relevant to Islamic worship.
For instance, the timing of prayers, aligned with the position of the Sun at specific heights, falls within the purview of astronomy. Determining the direction to face during prayers towards the Kaaba is also part of this study.
The limited teaching of astronomy in pesantrens is influenced by the scarcity of astronomy teachers. Furthermore, this problem can be attributed to the lack of initiative or interest among the public in learning and developing the field of astronomy.
Therefore, pesantrens should play a role in introducing astronomy. They should incorporate astronomy into their curriculum and seek to recruit teachers specializing in this field.
Santri planning to pursue higher education could be directed towards astronomy programs. The hope is that they will return to the pesantrens to teach or continue the legacy as astronomy educators.
The inclusion of astronomy in the curriculum of pesantrens can bring several positive impacts to their development. I assume there are four benefits to teaching astronomy in these pesantrens.
Enhancing the Pesantren’s Image
Schools, including pesantrens, rely on student enrollment. Various efforts are constantly made to attract potential students (or santri). Teaching astronomy can become a distinctive feature, a unique brand for pesantrens that adopt it. The rarity of astronomy education in pesantrens can make it an iconic subject for those that choose to incorporate it. Moreover, practical observation of celestial objects during lessons can be intriguing for prospective santri.