The Character Education from the Perspective of Kiai Leadership: A Conceptual Study of the Role of Islamic Boarding School Caregivers

Abstract

This study aims to examine character education from the perspective of the kiai’s leadership as the caregiver of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). In the pesantren tradition, character education is the core of santri development, carried out through role modeling, habituation of moral values, and direct interaction between the kiai and the students. The kiai’s charismatic and value-based leadership plays a central role in shaping students’ character and personality. However, amidst rapid social changes and the influx of digital culture, this traditional leadership model faces new challenges that require adaptive and transformational capabilities from pesantren caregivers. Using a library research approach, this study explores how the concept and practice of character education are implemented through the leadership of the kiai, and how their relevance is maintained in today’s changing social landscape. The findings show that the kiai’s leadership remains a vital element in santri character education, as long as it integrates traditional values with contextual approaches responsive to the dynamics of the times.