Strategic management is reshaping how Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia adapt to modern demands without abandoning tradition. This conclusion emerges from a 2026 study by Ade Tutty Rokhayati Rosa of Universitas Islam Nusantara and a multi-institution research team examining organizational transformation at the Ashiddiqiyah Islamic Boarding School in Karawang, West Java. Published in the International Journal of Advanced Technology and Social Sciences (IJATSS), the research shows why value-based management matters for the future of Islamic education.
The study, conducted by Rosa alongside Cep Agung Muharam, Ilfi Johar Nafisah, Narkum, and Sifa Malihatul Husna, is significant because it addresses a growing concern among educators and policymakers: how traditional Islamic institutions can remain relevant amid globalization, digitalization, and rising expectations for educational quality, while preserving their religious identity.
Why Pesantren Face Growing Pressure
Islamic boarding schools, locally known as pesantren, are among the oldest educational institutions in Indonesia. They have long served not only as centers of Islamic learning, but also as pillars of character education, moral guidance, and community identity.
Today, however, pesantren operate in a very different environment. Global competition among educational institutions, rapid technological change, and public demands for accountability have transformed how education is evaluated. Communities increasingly judge schools by graduate relevance, institutional adaptability, and management quality—not only by tradition or reputation.
Many pesantren still rely heavily on centralized leadership centered on the kiai, the religious leader whose moral authority shapes institutional life. While this model provides cultural strength and stability, it can slow decision-making, limit documentation, and hinder long-term planning when institutions face complex modern challenges.
This tension between preserving tradition and responding to change has become one of the defining issues in contemporary Islamic education.
A Case Study from Karawang
The Ashiddiqiyah Islamic Boarding School in Karawang offers a clear example of how pesantren can navigate this challenge. Rather than reacting piecemeal to external pressure, the institution undertook a structured internal transformation guided by strategic management principles grounded in Islamic values.
The researchers used a qualitative case study approach, drawing on in-depth interviews with school leaders and administrators, direct observation of institutional practices, and analysis of official documents such as vision statements, strategic plans, and policy records. This approach allowed the team to capture how change unfolded in daily organizational life.
Instead of focusing on statistics, the study traced how decisions were made, how resistance was addressed, and how values shaped every stage of reform.
How Strategic Management Was Applied
The findings show that transformation at Ashiddiqiyah followed a clear sequence of strategic stages rather than occurring spontaneously.
First, internal reflection. School leaders conducted a systematic review of internal and external challenges. This process identified core issues such as centralized decision-making, unclear job roles, fragmented curricula, uneven staff competencies, and manual administrative systems.
Second, redefining direction. Through collective deliberation forums, the pesantren reformulated its vision and mission. The new direction emphasized responsiveness to modern educational needs while explicitly reaffirming Islamic values as the institutional foundation.
Third, organizational restructuring. Responsibilities were redistributed through formal work units with clearer authority and accountability. Managerial tasks were no longer concentrated on a single figure, although the kiai remained the moral and spiritual reference point.
Fourth, program implementation. Strategic plans were translated into concrete actions, including:
-Integration of religious and general education curricula
-Regular teacher training and leadership development
-Digitalization of academic and administrative systems
-Strengthening organizational culture through collective reflection forums
Fifth, continuous evaluation. Progress was reviewed through internal deliberations that assessed both performance outcomes and alignment with pesantren values.
Managing Change Without Cultural Conflict
Change did not come without resistance. Some administrators initially perceived the reforms as excessive modernization that might weaken tradition. The leadership responded not with rigid instructions, but with dialogue, cultural symbols, and role modeling.
This approach proved critical. Transformation was framed as a shared responsibility rooted in religious purpose, not as an imported managerial ideology. As a result, reforms gained cultural legitimacy and broader acceptance within the pesantren community.
According to the researchers, this value-centered approach explains why strategic management did not erode identity but instead reinforced it.
Implications for Islamic Education
The study highlights several implications for Islamic educational institutions across Indonesia and beyond.
First, strategic management does not have to be secular or value-neutral. When interpreted through institutional culture, it can strengthen rather than dilute religious identity.
Second, charismatic leadership and professional management are not mutually exclusive. At Ashiddiqiyah, moral authority remained intact while managerial responsibilities were distributed more systematically.
Third, pesantren can function as learning organizations. Continuous reflection and evaluation allowed the institution to adapt gradually, treating challenges as opportunities for improvement rather than threats.
For policymakers and education leaders, the findings suggest that supporting value-based strategic planning could improve institutional sustainability without forcing uniform modernization models on religious schools.
Author Perspective
As noted by the research team, strategic management at Ashiddiqiyah “acts as a bridge between tradition and modernity, enabling systemic reform without losing Islamic identity.” This insight, drawn from lived institutional experience, underscores the importance of culturally grounded leadership in education reform.
Author Profiles
Ade Tutty Rokhayati Rosa, M.Pd. – Lecturer at Universitas Islam Nusantara; expert in value-based educational management
Cep Agung Muharam, M.Pd. – Education practitioner in Bandung; specialist in organizational transformation
Ilfi Johar Nafisah, M.Pd. – Lecturer at STAI Ashiddiqiyah Karawang; Islamic education management
Narkum, M.Pd. – Lecturer at STAI KH. E.Z. Muttaqien Purwakarta; Islamic educational leadership
Sifa Malihatul Husna, M.Pd. – Education practitioner in Purwakarta; institutional development
Source
Bridging Tradition and Modernity: Strategic Management as an Instrument for the Transformation of Islamic Boarding School Organizations
International Journal of Advanced Technology and Social Sciences (IJATSS), Vol. 4, No. 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijatss.v4i1.162
https://aprmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijatss/article/view/162
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