The Concept of Character Education for Islamic Boarding School Students in the Leadership Tradition of Islamic Boarding School Supervisors in the Era of Social Change

Abstract

This study aims to examine the concept of character education for santri (Islamic boarding school students) within the leadership tradition of pesantren caregivers in the midst of dynamic social changes. Pesantren has long been recognized as a traditional Islamic educational institution that emphasizes character formation through role modeling and habituation of moral values. However, the contemporary era—marked by technological advancement, cultural globalization, and shifting social values—requires a reinterpretation and transformation of the caregivers’ role in fulfilling their educational function. Using a qualitative approach through library research, this study explores how character values such as humility, sincerity, discipline, and responsibility are instilled within the framework of traditional leadership, and how those values are adapted to changing social realities. The findings reveal that pesantren caregivers play a critical role as value transformation agents who preserve tradition while adaptively responding to the challenges of the times. Character education in pesantren remains relevant as long as caregivers adjust their leadership approach and methods to the evolving social context of the santri generation.