Lowokwaru (malangkota.go.id) – Bahrul Maghfiroh Islamic Boarding School (Ponpes) now has a Digital Laboratory and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Malang City Erik Setyo Santoso was also present and inaugurated the Digital and AI Laboratory of the Islamic boarding school located at Jl. Joyo Agung No.2, Tlogomas, Lowokwaru District, Saturday (22/2/2025).
Regional Secretary Erik in his speech appreciated Bahrul Maghfiroh Islamic Boarding School which has stepped forward and equipped its students not only in spiritual aspects, but also in terms of technology, so that in the future the students can contribute more, both to Malang City, regionally, nationally and on an international scale.
"It's extraordinary, because after being equipped with religious knowledge, faith, piety, to then work, it is enriched again now by providing... skill about digital and artificial intelligence," said Erik.
Seeing the innovation of the BM Islamic Boarding School, Erik said that later the Malang City Government (Pemkot) will cooperate, because the basic education they have is related to aspects of AI enrichment.
"Later, the main thing is that this can also color our students so that they can follow the development of globalization like this. But children must still be balanced with aspects of faith and piety, so that they become a whole golden generation of Indonesia from an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual aspect," he explained.
On the same occasion, the Head of Bahrul Maghfiroh Islamic Boarding School, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mohammad Bisri, MS revealed that the construction of the Digital and AI Laboratory was inspired by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, SAW. "I was inspired by the statement of the Prophet's companions, namely 'Educate your children according to their era, don't educate your children according to your era, because it is not their era. From that inspiration, it was finally thought that Islamic boarding schools must follow the development of the times, so the construction of this laboratory was initiated," explained the former Chancellor of Brawijaya University.
Prof. Bisri said, in order for the Digital and AI Laboratory to run, it was decided to collaborate with a third party from professional circles. This was done considering that Bahrul Magfiroh Islamic Boarding School still does not have qualified human resources.
He further explained that this laboratory uses a lease purchase system that will run for the next four years to one of the companies. "So these four years belong to BM. We bought it for around Rp 1,2 billion for 4 years. So we pay every month while optimizing and commercializing it. This laboratory is sophisticated. Maybe later there will be results, the boarding school also does not pay in installments, because the results from the laboratory's income are paid," he added.
Bisri explained that the computers in the laboratory have above average capabilities, so the curriculum used for students will be adjusted. "From Trisakti University who teach, and there is an AI e-Sport community, but in accordance with sharia, so that the boarding school children do not get caught up in online gambling," Bisri added again.
Later, this will become one of the mandatory extracurricular activities. "There are 350 children, from junior high and high school in BM classes 1, 2, 3, all of whom are required to study AI in turns. So I want to make it mandatory so that the children will have an understanding of the digital world, so that when they graduate, they want to continue their studies or go straight to work, they are no longer confused. Moreover, the students already understand the jurisprudence of social media, so that when they graduate, they are resilient," he concluded. (cah/yn)
