**3,910 Madrasah Students from Central Sulawesi Compete in 2026 Indonesian Madrasah Olympiad**
Palu, Central Sulawesi – The Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) in Central Sulawesi reported that 3,910 students from Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI), Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs), and Madrasah Aliyah (MA) participated in the 2026 Indonesian Madrasah Olympiad (Olimpiade Madrasah Indonesia, OMI) at the district and city level.
The competition was held at 88 venues throughout the province. In the capital city of Palu, the event was concentrated at MAN 2 Palu, where 477 students from the city’s madrasahs competed.
Kemenag Central Sulawesi’s head, Junaidin, said the Olympiad is a strategic platform to enhance the quality of madrasah education and to demonstrate the institutions’ capacity, quality, and competitiveness to the public. “OMI is a strategic stage to affirm the existence of madrasahs and show that they can produce outstanding generations,” he told reporters in Palu on Monday.
Junaidin added that the achievements of the participants result from a collaborative effort involving students, teachers, madrasah principals, and parents. He expressed hope that future Olympiads would not only yield academic success but also foster integrity, strong character, creativity, critical thinking, and healthy competition among students.
The 2026 Olympiad, scheduled for 7–9 September, adopts the theme “Islam, Science, and Ecotheology.” It aims to nurture talent and drive innovation within madrasah education to contribute to Indonesia’s development.
The event is overseen by the Subdirectorate of Student Affairs, Directorate General of Islamic Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs, to ensure compliance with all regulations.
Article and image source: news.republika.co.id
