A social movement Muhammadiyah highly contributes to educational development, from primary to higher education in Indonesia. Thus, Muhammadiyah educational institutions should enhance their quality to be able to compete with state schools.

“State school revitalization will always be carried out so that private schools, including Muhammadiyah schools, do not have any choices, but improve their quality. Quality of Muhammadiyah schools may not similar to or below quality of state schools. If quality of Muhammadiyah school are under private schools, Muhammadiyah school will be defeated by state schools,” declared Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) Prof. Dr. Muhajir Effendy, M.A. at the Muhammadiyah Jogja Expo on Friday (5/10) at Sportorium of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY).

Muhajir did not refute that some Muhammaidyah institutions possess low quality. Hence, he advised Muhammadiyah cadres in the institutions to attempt to foster their personal and school quality. “I recognize that some Muhammadiyah schools are not quite good, and the circumstance can be a threat if all state institutions always seek to evolve their quality,” he asserted.

At the end of his remark, Muhajir expected that Muhammadiyah institutions can be leading institutions and become the main options for parents to send their children to school.

Muhammadiyah Jogja Expo

Muhammadiyah Jogja Expo (MJE) was organized by Lembaga Pengembangan Cabang and Ranting Pimpinan Wilayah Muhammadiyah (PWM) of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY). The expo was followed by leading Pimpinan Cabang Muhammadiyah (PCM) and AUM across DIY. There were 20 stands from leading PCM and 40 supporting stands exhibiting their products. The MJE was conducted three days, on 5-7 October 2018. Besides, there were 3,000 students of Muhammadiyah schools making batik.

Meanwhile, Rector of UMY Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto wished that the MJE can be conducted by Pimpinan Wilayah Muhammadiyah in other areas. “We hope that this expo encourages other PCM to enhance their organizational performance and to supervise Muhammadiyah member to be developed Muslims. This expo may inspire other leaders to show their activities,” he expected.