The Paradox of Islamic Education: A Phenomenological Study of Muslim Communities’ Preference for Islamic Elementary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24036/kjie.v8i2.410Keywords:
Perspective, muslim community, Islamic elementary schoolAbstract
Parents’ interest in enrolling their children in Islamic Elementary Schools is remarkably high, even though the cost of attending these schools is relatively expensive. This contrasts with public schools, which are generally free of charge. This study aims to explore and explain why Islamic Elementary Schools are highly preferred by Indonesian Muslim communities, particularly parents. The research employs a qualitative method with a case study approach. Research data were collected through in-depth interviews with five participants, consisting of the principal, teachers, and parents, and analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s Interactive Model. The findings indicate that parents’ interest in sending their children to Islamic Elementary Schools is influenced by three main factors: theological, sociological, and academic. (i) The theological factor refers to parents’ perspectives based on religious considerations. (ii) The sociological factor relates to the growing positive image of Islamic schools in Indonesia. (iii) The academic factor is associated with the schools’ ability to achieve high academic performance among both students and teachers. These results provide preliminary insights for future researchers to examine this issue in different contexts and with broader analytical perspectives.
References
Abidin, Z., Tobibatussaadah, T., Walfajri, W., & Nawa, A. T. (2022). Kontribusi Jaringan Sekolah Islam Terpadu (JSIT) dalam Pengembangan Pendidikan Islam di Indonesia. Tapis : Jurnal Penelitian Ilmiah, 6(2), 118. https://doi.org/10.32332/tapis.v6i2.5328
Ahmad, F. (2017). Living Al-Qur’an Sebagai Metode Alternatif Dalam Studi Al-Qur’an. El-Afkar, 6, 88. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.29300/jpkth.v2i6.1240
Aisyah, C., Zulkifli, M. binti, Akidah, N., Ilma, M., Indiyani, I., Abdi, H., & Febriani, A. (2024). Six Roles of Teacher Organizations in Improving Professional Competence. Muaddib: International Journal of Islamic Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.63061/muijte.v1i1.6
Allen, K., Kern, M. L., Vella-Brodrick, D., Hattie, J., & Waters, L. (2018). What Schools Need to Know About Fostering School Belonging: a Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-016-9389-8
Anshori, A., Solikhah, N. A., Aqli, D. R., Musyafa’, M. A., & Apriyanto, S. (2022). Dynamics and New Paradigm of Islamic Education in Indonesia. Scaffolding: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Dan Multikulturalisme, 4(2), 232–245. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v4i2.1573
Arifai, A. (2018). Kompetensi Guru Dalam Perspektif Pendidikan Islam. RAUDHAH Proud To Be Professionals Jurnal Tarbiyah Islamiyah, 3(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.56146/edusifa.v6i1.4
Asril, Z., Syafril, S., Engkizar, E., & Arifin, Z. (2023). Advancing Educational Practices: Implementation and Impact of Virtual Reality in Islamic Religious Education. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 9(2), 199–210. https://doi.org/10.15575/jpi.v9i2.20567
Azra, A. (2015). Genealogy of Indonesian Islamic Education: Roles in the Modernization of Muslim Society. Heritage of Nusantara: International Journal of Religious Literature and Heritage, 4(1), 85–114. https://doi.org/10.31291/hn.v4i1.63
Cresswell, J. W. (2016). Research Design: Quantitateive, Qualitative, and Mix Method Approach. Journal of Social and Administrative Sciences, 4, 342. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1453/jsas.v4i2.1313
Engkizar, E, Muslim, H., Mulyadi, I., & Putra, Y. A. (2025). Ten Criteria for an Ideal Teacher to Memorize the Quran. Journal of Theory and Research Memorization Quran, 1(1), 26–39. https://joqer.intischolar.id/index.php/joqer
Engkizar, Engkizar, Alfurqan, A., Murniyetti, M., & Muliati, I. (2018). Behavior and Factors Causing Plagiarism Among Undergraduate Students in Accomplishing The Coursework on Religion Education Subject. Khalifa: Journal of Islamic Education, 1(1), 98. https://doi.org/10.24036/kjie.v1i1.8
Engkizar, Engkizar, Jaafar, A., Taufan, M., Rahman, I., Oktavia, G., & Guspita, R. (2023). Quran Teacher: Future Profession or Devotion to the Ummah? International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research of Higher Education (IJMURHICA), 6(4), 196–210. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24036/ijmurhica.v6i4.321
Ghofururrohim, A., Karim, A., Mukaromah, N., Romly, A. W., & Jaenullah, J. (2024). The Position of Humans in Islamic Educational Philosophy. Assyfa Journal of Islamic Studies, 2(2), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.61650/ajis.v2i2.556
Hanif, M. (2023). Philosophical Review of Avicenna’s Islamic Education Thought. Asian Journal of Engineering, Social and Health, 2(6), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.46799/ajesh.v2i6.71
Haryati, S., Sukarno, S., Siswanto, S., & Trisnowati, E. (2024). Trends in Religious-Based School Selection: Analysis of Parental Motivation. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 16(4), 4439–4449. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v16i4.5329
Hasan, K. (2023). The Four Pillars of Education by Unesco and The Metaverse: Repositioning Islamic Education. BIDAYAH: STUDI ILMU-ILMU KEISLAMAN, 85–105. https://doi.org/10.47498/bidayah.v14i1.1928
Hasanah, E., Badar, M. I., & Ghazy, M. I. (2022). Factors That Drive the Choice of Schools for Children in Middle-Class Muslim Families in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study. In The Qualitative Report. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5316
Inawati, A. (2017). Strategi Pengembangan Moral dan Nilai Agama Untuk Anak Usia Dini. Jurnal Pendidikan Anak, 3(1), 2017. https://doi.org/https://ejournal.uin-suka.ac.id/tarbiyah/alathfal/article/view/1422
Johar, R. D. P., Yulisa, I., & Oktaminal, F. P. (2024). Criteria for Selecting a Life Partner among Muslim Adolescents : A Mixed Methods Analysis. International Journal of Islamic Studies Higher Education, 3(2), 81–95. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24036/insight.v3i1.174
Kara, H. (2023). Qualitative data analysis. In Research and Evaluation for Busy Students and Practitioners (An expande, pp. 187–202). Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447366263.ch012
Kasmar, I. F., Amnda, V., Mutathahirin, M., Maulida, A., Sari, W. W., Kaputra, S., Anwar, F., Taufan, M., & Engkizar, E. (2019). The Concepts of Mudarris, Mu’allim, Murabbi, Mursyid, Muaddib in Islamic Education. Khalifa: Journal of Islamic Education, 3(2), 107. https://doi.org/10.24036/kjie.v3i2.26
Kosim, M., Muqoddam, F., Mubarok, F., & Laila, N. Q. (2023). The dynamics of Islamic education policies in Indonesia. Cogent Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2172930
Latief, S., Sari, Y. A., Yusuf, M., Armila, A., & Hidayat, R. E. (2021). The Development of Islamic Education and Strengthening of National Education System of Indonesia. International Journal on Advanced Science, Education, and Religion, 4(2), 86–99. https://doi.org/10.33648/ijoaser.v4i2.105
Latifa, R., Fahri, M., Subchi, I., & Mahida, N. F. (2022). The Intention of Becoming Religiously Moderate in Indonesian Muslims: Do Knowledge and Attitude Interfere? Religions, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060540
Lubis, Y. M. (2025). Social Change in Contemporary Islamic Community Development through Transformative Da’wah Praxis. Jurnal Al-Hikmah, 23(1), 57–76. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.35719/ver8mf80
Malfi, F., Sudirman, Zulmuqim, & Samad, D. (2023). Kebangkitan dan Perkembangan Madrasah di Indonesia. Arus Jurnal Pendidikan, 3(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.57250/ajup.v3i1.190
Moslimany, R., Otaibi, A., & Shaikh, F. (2024). Designing a holistic curriculum: Challenges and opportunities in islamic education. Journal on Islamic Studies, 1(1), 52–73. https://doi.org/10.35335/beztg009
Mualimin, M. (2017). Lembaga Pendidikan Islam Terpadu. Al-Tadzkiyyah: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 8(1), 99. https://doi.org/10.24042/atjpi.v8i1.2099
Musaddad, A. (2023). Transformation of Islamic Boarding Schools as Islamic Education Institutions in Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Education Research, 4(1), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.35719/jier.v4i1.319
Nasril, N., Nofrianti, H., Sari, M., Amris, F. K., & Burhanuddin, B. (2023). Teachers’ Strategy to Improve Learners’ Comprehension in Islamic Education in Elemantary School. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research of Higher Education, 6(4), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.24036/ijmurhica.v6i4.157
Nugroho, M. R., & Kristiawan, M. (2021). Integrated Islamic Elementary School Characteristics as Encouragement for Parents in Choosing Education for Children. International Conference on Educational Sciences and Teacher Profession (ICETeP 2020). https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210227.053
Oktavia, G., Burhanuddin, B., Febriani, A., Asril, Z., & Syafril, S. (2025). Analysis of Quran Memorization Methods: Academically Talented Students. Journal of Theory and Research Memorization Quran, 1(1), 40–50.
Putri, M. D. R., Nafian, Z. I., Febriani, A., & Sabiruddin, S. (2024). The Concept of Teacher Personality and Student Character. Al-Kayyis: Journal of Islamic Education, 2(2), 97–107.
Rahawarin, Y., Taufan, M., Oktavia, G., Febriani, A., Hamdi, H., & Iskandar, M. Y. (2023). Five Efforts in building the character of students. Al-Kayyis: Journal of Islamic Education, 1(1), 37–44. https://doi.org/https://ojs.stai-bls.ac.id/index.php/ajie/article/view/66
Rohman, A., Muhtamiroh, S., Imron, A., & Miyono, N. (2023). Integrating traditional-modern education in madrasa to promote competitive graduates in the globalization era. Cogent Education, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2268456
Rohmat, R., Yusuf, M., & Choirudin, C. (2024). The Influence Of Islamic Parenting Patterns and Parents Religious Understanding On Children’s Spiritual Intelligence In Muslim Families In Metro City. Assyfa Journal of Islamic Studies, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.61650/ajis.v2i2.628
Rusadi, M. A., & Fauzi, A. M. (2022). Rasionalitas Orang Tua Dalam Memilih Sekolah Anak di Sekolah Dasar Islam Terpadu (SDIT). Jurnal Al-Qalam: Jurnal Kajian Islam & Pendidikan, 14(1), 40–45. https://doi.org/10.47435/al-qalam.v14i1.711
Rustandi, F., Nova Ismawati, & Gozali. (2023). Peluang dan Tantangan Pengelolaan Sekolah Islam Terpadu: Perspektif Total Quality Management. JEMSI (Jurnal Ekonomi, Manajemen, Dan Akuntansi), 9(5), 2219–2227. https://doi.org/10.35870/jemsi.v9i5.1587
Saldaña, J. . & O. M. (2021). Qualitative Research: Analyzing Life. . In Sage Publications.
Surbakti, S. S. B., Harahap, R., & Hasanah, U. (2024). Future perspectives on the islamic personality model: Integrating spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, personal, and behavioral dimensions for holistic development. Journal on Islamic Studies, 1(1), 17–35. https://doi.org/10.35335/7adqms82
Syarifuddin, S., Jufri, J., & Hijrat, K. (2023). Manajemen Pembelajaran Tahfiz Al-Qur’an Metode Wafa di SDIT Ar Ruhul Jadid Jombang. Jurnal Review Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran (JRPP), 6(3), 10.18. https://doi.org/10.31004/jrpp.v6i3.18511
Taqiudin, M. (2020). Pandangan Masyarakat Desa Terhadap Sekolah Berbasis Agama (Stadi Kasus Di Desa Dames Damai Kecamatn Suralaga). SOSIO EDUKASI Jurnal Studi Masyarakat Dan Pendidikan, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.29408/sosedu.v3i2.3524
ter Avest, I., Bertram-Troost, G., & Miedema, S. (2015). “If It Feels Good…”: Research on School Selection Process Motives Among Parents of Young Children. Religion & Education, 42(3), 357–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/15507394.2015.1041357
Thoha, A. F. K., & Ibrahim, M. S. S. (2023). Digital Transformation of Mosque Da’wah: Organizational Learning and Innovation in the Digital Age. Al-Balagh : Jurnal Dakwah Dan Komunikasi, 8(2), 307–342. https://doi.org/10.22515/albalagh.v8i2.7634
Ummah, I. Z. (2022). Peran Orang Tua Dalam Penguatan Aktivitas Beribadah Anak Di Masa Pandemi Covid-19. Muta’allim: Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 1(2), 161–176. https://doi.org/10.18860/mjpai.v1i2.1483
Waharjani, W., Jailani, M., & Huda, M. (2024). The Concept of Human Fiṭrah in Islamic Philosophy of Education. Kanz Philosophia: A Journal for Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.20871/kpjipm.v10i1.307
Wahyuni, V. D., & Rasyid, M. (2022). Nilai Pendidikan dari Hadist Riwayat Bukhari tentang Memilih Pasangan untuk Mencetak Generasi Unggul. Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Agama Islam, 51–56, 51–56. https://doi.org/10.29313/jrpai.v2i1.983
Yudhyarta, D. Y., Zamsiswaya, Z., & May, A. (2025). Integrating Pancasila Values in Islamic Education: A Learning Model Based on Azyumardi Azra’s Perspective. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v17i3.7318
Yuslia, D., Hasnah, H., Safarudin, R., & Helfikri, H. (2021). The Effectiveness of The Picture and Picture Learning Model in Improving Student Learning Outcomes In Elementary Schools. Khalifa: Journal of Islamic Education, 5(1), 80. https://doi.org/10.24036/kjie.v5i1.33
Zainal, Z., Febriani, A., Oktavia, G., & Zahara, A. (2022). Phenomenology of Juvenile Delinquency in Society: What Should Parents Do? Ahlussunnah: Journal of Islamic Education, 1(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.58485/jie.v1i1.85
Zubairi Muzakki, & Nurdin, N. (2022). Formation of Student Character in Islamic Religious Education. EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran, 3(3), 937–948. https://doi.org/10.62775/edukasia.v3i3.219
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Mohd Isa Hamzah, Afifah Febriani, Comfort Akinfolarin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
