Progress report: Rural Community Development Training Programme by way of Participatory Training

Abstract

In the efforts to raise the participation of the community in rural development, the pesantren assumes an important position and role. The pesantren, being a social institution in the rural areas, has unique characteristics. Not only is it incluencial in reaching the rural community, but its educational system contributes to the features of both the rural community, in particular, and the Indonesian society, in general. Today several pesantren are considered capable developing their rural environment potentials, although certain other pesantrens are noted to be underdeveloped in condition and unready to face the fast socio-economic changes outside, In recent years several governments as well as private agencies and institutions have made some approaches to develop pondok pesantren, hoping that this will make the traditional village institutions, called pesantren, more aware of the progress taking place outside and able to play, as far as possible, a significant role in the rural community development activities.