Governance-Embedded Character Education: Institutionalizing Adab in Islamic School-Based Management
Keywords:
Islamic School-Based Management, Adab, Moral Character Education, Educational Leadership, Quality AssuranceAbstract
Growing concerns over student moral decline, including bullying, disciplinary violations, and weakening ethical responsibility, underscore the need for character education models that extend beyond curricular instruction toward systemic institutional integration. In Islamic education, Adab constitutes a foundational dimension of moral formation; however, its implementation often remains fragmented and insufficiently embedded within governance structures. This article examines how the institutionalization of an Adab program within an Islamic School-Based Management framework enhances students’ moral character through structured governance, teacher agency, and quality assurance mechanisms. A qualitative descriptive case study was conducted at an Islamic boarding school in Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with school leaders and teachers, non-participant observations, and document analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns related to governance processes, moral habituation, and accountability systems. The findings indicate that moral character formation becomes sustainable when integrated into four interconnected managerial functions: strategic planning, organizational structuring, teacher-led habituation, and continuous supervision. Adab is institutionalized as a governance-embedded system rather than a standalone moral curriculum. Teacher exemplarity and immersive boarding school culture strengthen moral internalization, while structured monitoring instruments ensure accountability and continuity. This governance-based model demonstrates that ethical formation can be systematically embedded within educational management without reducing morality to technical compliance, offering a replicable framework for value-driven leadership in Islamic schooling.
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