A Holistic Framework for Strengthening Students' Responsibility Character Through Islamic Religious Education: A Case Study of an Indonesian Madrasah

Abstract

This study aims to examine the strategies for strengthening students' responsibility character through Islamic Religious Education (IRE) at MTs Unggulan Girilaya Surabaya. Employing a qualitative approach with a case study design, the research involved the principal, Islamic Religious Education teachers, students, and parents as participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations, and document analysis, and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that responsibility character is strengthened through five interconnected strategies: integrating responsibility values into IRE lesson planning, promoting teacher role modelling, cultivating religious habituation through daily school activities, implementing character-based assessment, and fostering strong collaboration between the school and parents. These strategies collectively create a holistic learning environment that encourages students to internalize responsibility as both a moral and religious value. The study concludes that Islamic Religious Education serves as a strategic medium for cultivating students' responsibility when supported by a religious school culture and sustainable school–family partnerships. The proposed integrative model offers practical implications for strengthening character education in Islamic secondary schools.