Islamic Schools in Indonesia

The label “Islam with a Smiling Face” was used by international magazines such as Time and Newsweek to describe the form of Islam in Indonesia: inclusive, progressive, and modern. ¹ By extension, an Islamic school that embodies “Islam with a smiling face” would be one that is inclusive, progressive, and modern. Such a school would be inclusive by being pluralist, progressive by emphasising strong rationality and strong autonomy, and modern by preparing its students to meet the challenges of a globalised world and knowledge-based economy. It follows that an Islamic school with a smiling face is one that resides in an educative tradition.