Young people learn more about good behaviour from books or films/ movies than they learn from real-life experiences. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

After returning to Indonesia, he played an important role in advancing Tebuireng

Pesantren

. He not only assisted

Hasyim

Asy’ari to teach in

this

pesantren

but

also

was involved in developing the curriculum and representing his father in both local and national forums.

Furthermore

, he tried to implement his ideas to introduce secular subjects in the

pesantren

curriculum

although

it was difficult to be accepted by

Hasyim

Asy’ari since it would be a controversial notion among

pesantren

communities.

Nevertheless

, in 1935, his father accepted his idea to build Madrasah Nizamiyah which combined religious and secular materials in its curriculum. The madrasah had 29 students in the first year which was followed by the establishment of a library which had around a thousand books in the following year (1936). He

also

initiated to subscribe a variety of magazines

such

as Panji Islam, Dewan Islam, Berita Nahdlatul Ulama, Adil, Nurul Iman, Penyebar Semangat, Panji Pustaka, and Pujangga Baru to provide fruitful and insightful reading material for students (Tebuireng Online, 8 April 2014). In the political realm,

Wahid

Hasyim

began his career path as a secretary of NU in district Cukir in 1938

then

became a chairman of NU of Jombang, East Java.

Following

this

, in 1940,

Wahid

Hasyim

was involved in the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) as a chairman of the Ma’arif department which coordinated the education of madrasah and

pesantren

under NU. Under the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies (1942-1945), which established Shumubu (the Department of religious affairs),

Wahid

Hasyim

represented his father

Hasyim

Asy’ari in

this

department. His political career rose significantly when he was appointed as a member of BPUPKI (the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence) with other national political figures.

Moreover

, based on the BPUPKI recommendation, Sukarno

then

create a committee well-known as Panitia Sembilan where

Wahid

Hasyim

was one of its members.

This

committee had a crucial role in determining the basic forms of the Indonesian government. When he was appointed as the Minister of Religious Affairs in 1949, he tried to implement his ideas on Islamic education from elementary to university level. Based on Religious Affairs Regulation Number 3 dated 11 August 1950,

Wahid

Hasyim

pushed that all madrasahs should introduce secular subjects for students.

In addition

, he had a significant contribution to establishing State Islamic Higher Education (PTAIN) and Schools for Islamic Teachers (SGAI/PGAN) across the country.