Dondong Islamic Boarding School, the Pioneer of Coastal Islamic Education in Semarang Indonesia

Dondong Islamic Boarding School, the Pioneer of Coastal Islamic Education in Semarang

Coastal areas are usually synonymous with low levels of education, resulting in some coastal residents having poor morals. This has indirectly taught the Indonesian people that coastal areas must be identical with some negative things.

Behind the negative perception of education in coastal areas. Many people do not know that since the beginning of the 19th century on the coast of Semarang, many Islamic boarding schools have begun to appear as places of Islamic religious education.

The emergence of Pondok Pesantren (Ponpes) was pioneered by one of the oldest Islamic boarding schools in Central Java, namely Pondok Pesantren Dondong. This boarding school is a special boarding school for male students.

It was named Dondong because this Islamic boarding school is located in Dondong Village, Wonosari, Ngaliyaan District, Semarang. This Islamic boarding school was founded around 1609-1612 AD by a Kyai named Syafii Pijoro Negoro. Now this pesantren has changed its name to Yayasan Luhur.

Not many people know that the Dondong Islamic Boarding School has reached the 7th generation. In the past, this pesantren had a lot of students from various regions. According to Ma'fur Anwar, one of the students, now the Dondong Islamic boarding school only has 25 students and their administrators.

The advantage of this lodge is to maintain Islam by continuing to apply and study the yellow book. Ponpes Dondong is the first place to study the Fathul Qarib book in Java Island.

Not only that, the great scholar Mbah Sholeh Darat was also a student from Dondong. The students who have graduated from this Islamic boarding school then set up Islamic boarding schools in their respective areas. Examples are several Islamic boarding schools in Mangkang and Tugu Semarang.

Starting from here, Islamic religious education in Central Java began to increase, especially in coastal areas. The number of Islamic boarding schools in coastal areas is now one of the pioneers of proper education for coastal children.

So that with pesantren, the morals of coastal children begin to improve and their education also improves. Through this pesantren, it is hoped that it can eliminate negative stigmas against coastal residents, especially in their education and morals.

Who would have thought that this simple place which is now almost unknown to the wider community is a historical place that encourages Islamic education on the coast of Semarang, to the entire island of Java. The Dondong Islamic boarding school was also one of the places to study at that time, when schools were only for the bourgeoisie.