BPI UIN Jakarta Encourages the Establishment of Indonesian Professional Religious Counselor Association
Syahida Inn Ciputat, UIN NEWS Online— Islamic Studies and Guidance Program (BPI), Faculty of Communication Sciences and Science (FIDIKOM), UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta encourage the establishment of Indonesian Professional Religious Counselor Association. In addition to being a source of information on the rights and obligations of the religious counselor workers, the existence of professional ties is expected to be the motor of capacity building of their insights and skills in fulfilling their extension tasks.
That was conveyed by the Head of BPI Department, FIDIKOM, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Dra Rini Laili Prihatini M.Si when submitting the proposal of Professional Religious Councelors Association in Ciputat, Wednesday (13/09/2017). "The university in this case BPI Study Program, Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Science, UIN Jakarta encourages the formation of professional religious counselor association," she suggested.
Rini explained, as a professional organization, the Association of Religious Counselor Professionals can play a role to protect the public interest and professional counseling itself. Because besides providing professional certification that guarantees the qualifications of a counselor, the existence of this organization can also defend the rights of religious counselor workers by providing protection, defense, and quality education.
Moreover, she continued, the professional association of religious counselors also enables extension workers can add insight, improve skills, and exchange their fellow experiences. That way, the religious agent has the opportunity to improve the quality of his profession so that it can boost the quality and quality of his work.
"The level of the quality of the counselor is not only seen from how much KUM value is owned, but the ability to see the process of counseling and mentoring and making the target audience become independent and prosperous," said Rini again.
The basis of the formation of professional organizations themselves, called Rini, refers to Government Regulation Number 18 of article 61 which states that educational personnel can form a professional bond as a forum to improve and develop career, ability, professional career, dignity and welfare of educational staff. In addition, in Article 31 paragraph 4 UUSPN year 1989 mentioned that educational personnel are obliged to try to develop their professional skills in accordance with the development of science and technology demands and development of the nation.
In the evaluation of BPI Prodi, FDIK, UIN Jakarta, almost 14 years after the regulation confirming the functional function of religious instructor Presidential Decree Number 87 Year 1999 on Functional Group of civil servant and Decree of State Minister Coordinator of Supervision of Development and Utilization of State Apparatus Number 54 / KEP / MK WASPAN / 9/1999 on Functional Position of Religion Extension Officer and Credit Score issued, the output of religious counseling performance has not been very encouraging. The religious counselors have not been able to perform their duties maximally.
In addition to time constraints, the counselor workers are also complicated by the low quality and quantity of religious counselor workers, lack of funding, and inadequate supporting facilities, and have not been very supportive of the implementation of extension policies. Yet at the same time, Rini explained, a counselor had a heavy responsibility in the introduction of community religious life.
Referring to both regulations concerning functional positions of counselor, a religious leader assumes the implementation of three functions of the introduction at once. The three functions are, informative or illuminated functions, educational or educational functions; consultative functions or guidance; and advocative functions. "This means that professionalism of religious counselors is very important in carrying out its duties to accompany the community to face the problems and needs of the increasingly complex community," he explained.
Organized a Counseling Seminar
On the other side, Prodi BPI FIDIKOM UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta also held a National Seminar entitled "Strengthening Profession of Religious Counselors through Indonesian Religion Conselor Institute". Besides attended by the student of BPI Study Program, the seminar was also attended by the Religious Counselor Institutions of Indonesia, delegates of the Department / Study Program of Islamic Counseling for Islamic Religious Higher Universities throughout Indonesia, academics and national partner institutions.
The seminar presents three main speakers, Prof. Dr. Sumardjo, M.Si. (Chairman of Indonesian Development Expert Association), Irwanto, M.Si. (Kasie, Penais of the Regional Office of Ministry of Religious Affairs of North Maluku), and Dr. Ir. Arief Subhan, MA. (Dean of FIDIKOM UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta). Each delivered a presentation of the Association of Religious Extension Professionals to Strengthen the Role of Counselors Officer in Taken Civil Society into Realization; The Role of the Association of Extension Professors of Religion in Facing Challenges and Problematic of Counseling; and, Synergy between Educators and the Profession of Religious Counselor to Realize Civil Society.
In addition, the seminar also presented keynote speaker of the Directorate General of Islamic Religious Education of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Kamarudin Amin M.Phil., Ph. D . In his speech, Amin presented the material titled "National Agenda of DGT Diktis in Development and Development of Association of Profession of Religious Extensionist".
The seminar itself, continued Rini, is expected to give a complete picture of the opportunities and challenges of Religious Counseling in Indonesia and also to provide an overview of the importance of the Association of Indonesian Professional Religious Counselor. "Finally, the activities are also expected to contribute to increase the professionalism of religious instructors and BPI graduates as candidates for religious trainers in the future," she concluded. (usa)