Core Curriculum Planning in Madrasa to Increase the Quality of Education at MTsN 2 Jombang Indonesia

Moh. Amak Burhanudin¹, Akhyak², Imam Fuadi,³

^1,2,3 Islamic State University of Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung Indonesia

ABSTRACT: Madrasa are Islamic educational institutions oriented towards Islamic learning and general science in an integrated manner. The Madrasa curriculum is designed so that students can study Islamic religious knowledge in depth and general knowledge like schools in general. In boarding school-based madrasas, the madrasa curriculum is integrated with the boarding school curriculum with a more comprehensive deepening of Islamic religious knowledge. The boarding school curriculum that has been integrated provides religious education content, moral education experiences, school, and general education, as well as skills that need to be managed with integrative management. This study aimed to describe the planning of the boarding school-based madrasa core curriculum and identify the forms of boarding school-based madrasa core curriculum assessment.

This type of qualitative research with a multi-site approach, namely, research focused on explaining or disclosing differences from different sites and occurs in different research arenas. This descriptive research aims to obtain an in-depth description of core curriculum management in Islamic boarding schools, namely MTsN 2. Data collection techniques used include (1) in-depth interviews, (2) participant observation (participant observation), and (3) study documents (study documents). Data analysis techniques in multi-site studies were carried out in two stages, namely: (1) analysis of individual site data (individual cases); and (2) cross-site data analysis (cross-cases analysis). The study’s findings explain that the core curriculum for Islamic boarding schools is formulated and developed by focusing on students’ potential, development, needs, interests, and environment.

Keywords: Core Curriculum, Planning Curriculum, Islamic Boarding School Management

RESEARCH CONTEXT

So far, the curriculum has been too oriented towards the development of the left brain (cognitive) and needs to pay more attention to the development of the right brain (affective, empathy, and taste). The learning process also occurs passively and rigidly, making it unpleasant for students. For example, in practice, one of the subjects related to moral education (such as ethics and religion) emphasizes aspects of the left brain (memorization or just knowing). This has made the learning atmosphere monotonous/stiff and boring for students, so students become uncreative. Learning should be carried out actively, systematically, continuously, meaningfully, and with fun. Learning can be likened to forming a person into a good and wise person (smart and good) who requires continuous training to become solid.

Core curriculum management is essential in boarding school-based Islamic educational institutions in this context. This condition occurs at MTsN 2 Jombang. This madrasa is located in a boarding school environment where most students become students in Islamic boarding schools around the madrasa.

Therefore, the madrasa curriculum is also adapted to the boarding school curriculum, which has its concept. Core curriculum management was finally carried out to realize the integration of general knowledge in the perspective of the national curriculum and religious knowledge in the perspective of Islamic boarding schools. This was done as part of an effort to consolidate knowledge to realize education without dichotomy in science, such as the heyday of Islamic education in the golden age, namely the VII and VIII centuries AD. It was essential to do this.

So far, curriculum management in Islamic education institutions, especially Islamic boarding schools, has developed a curriculum management model with curriculum integration. The strengthening of general and religious knowledge later became a distinct characteristic of Islamic boarding schools, including in Jombang.

Gaffar in Mulyasa argued that education management implies a systematic, systematic, and comprehensive cooperation to realize national education goals. (Mulyasa, 2006) Education management is also interpreted as everything related to the management of the educational process to achieve set goals, both short-term, medium and long-term goals.

Educational outcomes are said to be of high quality if they can produce academic and extracurricular excellence in students declared to have passed one level of education or completed a particular learning program. The value achieved by students expresses academic excellence. Extracurricular excellence is expressed in various skills acquired during the extracurricular program. Good curriculum management will produce good quality in schools.

Quality education is education that is capable of producing graduates who have abilities or competencies, both academic and vocational competencies, which are based on personal and social competencies, which are collectively referred to as life skills. Life skills education is quality education, both quality in fact and quality in perception. (Sudradjat, 2005)

Madrasa managers need to develop a curriculum with various innovations, which will receive community appreciation as excellent schools in science and religion. The school model with an integrated curriculum is becoming a trend in curriculum management today, especially in Islamic boarding schools. Several madrasas have their advantages because of good curriculum management.

So far, the education sector’s management needs to catch up to other sectors or organizations, especially in curriculum management. In business-oriented organizations, the problems and challenges faced are the same: the community’s increasing demands for quality educational products. Educational institutions as a system so far have yet to be handled much, namely management of a reliable curriculum, with efforts to integrate knowledge. Even today’s society needs knowledge full of values ​​and solid religious character. Madrasas that can form knowledgeable and moral personalities are currently in great demand by the community.

Madrasas essentially implement Islamic education based on the Al-Qur’an and As-Sunnah, which combines aqliyah, ruhiyah, and jasadiyah education. Students are expected to develop their intellectual and intellectual abilities, improve the quality of their faith and piety, develop noble character, and have health, fitness, and skills in their daily lives. (JSIT Indonesia Team, 2006)

The existence of madrasas within Islamic boarding schools implements a curriculum that combines the National Education System, Islamic Boarding Schools, Life Skills, and global language skills, namely English and Arabic, and strengthens Islamic moral education. Besides being a demand from the community, curriculum integration is also an administrative requirement in Islamic boarding schools.

The concept of holistic and integrative education between general and religious knowledge is developed in all Islamic boarding school-based madrasas, which have recently become the people’s choice.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The integrated curriculum is a curriculum that combines several types of curriculum, including the Ministry of Education and Culture curriculum, the Ministry of Religion curriculum, the foundation curriculum, or Islamic boarding schools. In Russman’s view, “the integrated curriculum eliminates the boundaries between various subjects and presents learning material in the form of units or as a whole” (Rusman, 2009, pp. 58–59). (Rusman, 2009). One form of an integrated curriculum is the core curriculum, which means the core is an important material that every student at all educational institutions must know. According to Abdullah Idi, the core curriculum can be developed through 6 types of programs, namely: (1) Core which consists of some organized subjects taught freely to show the relationship between these lessons. (2) Core consists of several connected subjects. (3) Core consists of broad issues, work units, or themes that are put together, which are selected to produce the meaning of teaching appropriately and effectively about the content of specific lessons. (4) Core which shows the subjects that are merged and combined. (5) Core is a broad problem that can meet physical and social needs and problems of children’s interests (students). (6) Core is a work unit planned by students and teachers to meet the group’s needs (Idi, 2011, pp. 173–174). (Abdullah, Idi. 2011)

Preparing the curriculum is primarily related to presenting subject matter (content) or curriculum organization (content). According to Idi Abdullah, two types of curriculum organization can be chosen: subject-based and integrated curricula (Abdullah, Idi. 2011). In a correlated curriculum, some subjects are linked, so the scope of material covered is broader. When studying prayer, it can be linked to Al-Qur’an lessons, such as reading letters and hadiths associated with prayer. C) Broad field curriculum. According to Taba, quoted by Abdullah Idi, the broad curriculum is essentially an effort to automate the curriculum by combining several specific areas of extensive fields (the broad curriculum is an effort to improve the curriculum by combining several subjects). This broad field curriculum is the opposite of the separated curriculum. For example, the subjects of history, geography, economics, and political science are combined into Social Sciences (IPS).

Planning includes activities to determine what to achieve, how to achieve, how long, how many people are needed, and how much it will cost. Planning is done before action is implemented. Planning combines knowledge (scientific) and techniques (technical knowledge) in an organization. They were planning as the established foundation of an organization so that ideal planning can build the organization toward the desired goals. This step in curriculum management is the stage for determining school curriculum goals. In determining curriculum objectives, school managers refer to several aspects of education, including the educational paradigm of educational institutions.

Students can take Cambridge exams as an example of good planning in the Cambridge adaptive SMP plus X curriculum. They succeed in national exams and OSN (national science Olympiad) by dissecting SKL starting from class X. Implementing the curriculum refers to the syllabus and lesson plans designed at the beginning of teaching through workshops. In addition, it also carries out a Cambridge certificate examination program for students from other schools who wish to participate in this program. Evaluation of the flagship program curriculum is carried out in the form of formative and summative evaluation. All of these evaluations are used to measure students’ success and are used for students. (Sudarsono, 2016)

Core curriculum or core curriculum is one model of curriculum development in Indonesia, so before examining the core curriculum, it is necessary to understand curriculum development first. Curriculum development in Indonesia is carried out with references and principles oriented towards using educational outcomes in implementing the curriculum. According to Muhammad Ali, the selection of references and principles can be made by using the following benchmarks:

1. The direction of the curriculum refers to something that is believed to be the truth or goodness of the community.
2. The learning experience expected to be obtained by students through education is adjusted to the demands and needs of the community.
3. The material that becomes the content of the curriculum is adapted to developments in science and technology.
4. Psychological theories, both learning psychology and developmental psychology, guide the teaching and learning process. (Ali, Muhammad, 2013)

Curriculum development is carried out based on development principles. Subandijah mentions six principles of curriculum development, namely: (Subandijah, 2003)

Principle of Relevance Referring to the Oxford Advanced Dictionary of Current English, the word relevance or appropriate means (closely) connected with what is happening. That is, it has a meaning related to what is happening. Idi, Abdullah, 2014). If it is related to education, it is necessary to adjust the education program to the demands of society’s life (the needs of society). Education is said to be relevant if the results obtained will be helpful for one’s life. Hendyat Soetopo and Wasty Soemanto mention the principle of relevance. (Soetopo, Hendyat and Soemanto, Wasty, 2013)

The term “core” is used in different contexts. Harold Alberty described six kinds of program design as cores, viz. (Alberty, Harold, 1957)

1. The core consists of several lessons that are linked to one another.
2. The core consists of broad problems, work units, or unified themes that are chosen because they produce the meaning of teaching effectively a particular range of subject content. The lesson has characteristics, but the content is selected and taught according to the unit, problem, or theme—examples of themes: Living in society, being taught in social studies, and natural sciences.
3. The core consists of some subjects that are fused (melted)
4. The core consists of broad issues that can address students’ psychological and social needs, concerns, and interests.
5. The core consists of work units or broad activity units that the teacher and students plan together according to the group’s needs. In this case, there is no fundamental curriculum structure.

The core curriculum is the result of curriculum development that aims to develop integration, serve the needs of students and increase active learning and the relationship between life and learning.

Romine stated: “The core curriculum, core program, or core course may be defined as the total curriculum objectives, which is scheduled for proportionally longer blocks of time.” (Romine, Stephen, 2004)

The definition of Romine contains some things that need attention, namely:

1. The core curriculum is part of the overall curriculum for all students
2. The core curriculum intends to achieve general educational goals
3. The core curriculum is composed of subject lines but not strictly (broad) and
4. The core curriculum is structured for a more extended period.

The core curriculum is also known as the national curriculum because the core curriculum is structured to realize the goals of national education. It was namely creating graduates to become complete Indonesian people (UUSPN No. 2 of 1989, article 4), which of course, always pays attention to the needs of students and their suitability with the environment, national development, the development of Science and Technology (IPTEK) according to the level of education taken.

RESEARCH METHODS

This research is reviewed from the data collected, including the type of qualitative research that uses non-numeric data and does not carry out statistical analysis. This research uses a multi-site approach, which focuses on explaining or disclosing differences from different sites and occurs in different research arenas.

In terms of method, this research is a type of field research in which the data and data sources come from the research location. (M. Musfiqon, 2012) This research was conducted in a realistic situation, so there are no limitations in interpreting or understanding the site being studied. This descriptive research aims to get an in-depth picture of core curriculum management in Islamic boarding schools, namely MTsN 2 Jombang. Data collected from a natural setting (natural setting) as a direct data source. Interpretation of the data can only be made if the depth of the facts obtained is obtained.

The characteristics of qualitative research are natural settings and require the presence of researchers because researchers are the main research instrument who must be present directly in the field to collect data (humans as an instrument). In entering the field, researchers were cautious with critical informants to create an atmosphere supporting the data collection’s success. (Amirul Hadi and Haryono, 1998)

Holistic and integrative data collection techniques must pay attention to the relevance of data by focusing on objectives. There are three data collection techniques used in this study, namely: (1) in-depth interviews, (2) participant observation (participant observation), and (3) study documents (study documents).

Data analysis is helpful for systematically searching for and organizing interview transcripts, field notes, and other materials collected by researchers to increase their understanding of these materials and enable researchers to report what they find to other parties. Therefore, analysis is carried out by examining data, organizing, dividing it into units that can be managed, synthesizing, looking for patterns, finding what is meaningful, and what researchers research and decide to report systematically. (Biklen and Bogdan Robert. C, 1982)

Lincoln and Guba (1985) state that in order to obtain valid data, checking techniques can be used like below:

1. Continuous field observations (persistent observation)
2. Triangulation of data sources, methods, and other researchers
3. Member checking, peer reviewing
4. Checks regarding referential adequacy (referential adequacy checks) (Biklen and Bogdan Robert. C, 1982)

DISCUSSION

Boarding School-Based Madrasa Core Curriculum Planning The curriculum implemented in MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang refers to the madrasa curriculum structure established by the Ministry of Religion, namely 6 (six) general subjects and 6 (six) Islamic and Arabic subjects. This content is based on regulations from the Decree of the Minister of Religion Number 183 of 2019. Based on this regulation, madrasas are free to add local content based on the potential and needs of the madrasa environment.

With this freedom, MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang integrates the contents of the national curriculum with the boarding school curriculum. As a result of this integration, MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang added eight local contents as separate subjects, namely Fiqh (reading the book), Tajwid, Book Hadith, Book Morals, Book Monotheism, Nahwu, Shorof, Qiroah Kitabah.

Adding eight local contents to the madrasa curriculum was formulated by the management of the Bahrul Ulum Foundation, Ministry of Education, and Islamic Boarding Schools. This department is a unit of study and application of the boarding school curriculum, which will be integrated with the madrasa curriculum. Through a study conducted by the Ministry of Education and Islamic Boarding Schools, taking into account the needs of students and their competencies, this unit determines the Islamic boarding school subjects that need to be added along with the classic books that need to be taught.

The Deputy Head of Curriculum and the Jombang Jombang Curriculum Development Team then reviewed this determination. The study includes time allocation, learning programs, instruments, and infrastructure that need to be prepared by madrasas to implement Islamic boarding schools content from the Bahrul Ulum Foundation Ministry of Education and Islamic Boarding Schools. This planning is necessary so that the content of the general curriculum with the Islamic boarding school curriculum can be carried out while still paying attention to the limitations of the learning load and the competencies of the two curriculum structures that must be accommodated.

The curriculum integration plan from the madrasa management was communicated intensively with the Ministry of Education and Islamic Boarding School Bahrul Ulum to be ratified and implemented in madrasas. The Main Bahrul Ulum Foundation chairman was also aware of this approval. This curriculum integration becomes the typical learning system of MTsN 2 Jombang, a formal Islamic educational institution under the auspices of the Bahrul Ulum Jombang Islamic Boarding School.

Thus, the planning carried out by MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang involved parties from madrasa and boarding school elements. The participation of these two elements in formulating the structure of the madrasa curriculum is an effort to realize the integration of the boarding school-based madrasa curriculum, which can produce madrasa graduates who are proficient in general knowledge and skills but also intelligent and have solid religious understanding. The integrated curriculum structure is intended so that students have a strong character that underlies all their knowledge and skills.

They were planning for MTsN 2 Jombang under the auspices of the Darul Ulum Islamic Boarding School, which is also planning the integration of the boarding school-based madrasa curriculum. The integration planning carried out by MTsN 2 Jombang involves elements from the Darul Ulum Islamic Boarding School Foundation, which has the authority to formulate the structure of the Islamic boarding school curriculum, which can be integrated with the madrasa curriculum. Darul Ulum Education and Recitation Council is the institution that forms the boarding school curriculum and is a reference in the absorption of the curriculum in 12 (twelve) formal educational institutions belonging to the Darul Ulum Foundation, including MTsN 2 Jombang.

The curriculum integration model established by MTsN 2 Jombang incorporates elements from the Islamic boarding school curriculum to reinforce the general curriculum. These elements can be materials, teaching materials and methods adapted and added to the madrasa curriculum system.

Curriculum planning carried out by the assembly includes the structure of the Islamic boarding school curriculum, which considers various aspects typical of Islamic boarding schools. Apart from that, it also considers the regional origin of the students and students in the Darul Ulum Jombang Islamic Boarding School. The content of the material prepared is adjusted to the level and level of education by taking into account students’ diverse abilities.

The first stage in curriculum planning is to review the regulations and structure of the national curriculum. This study was conducted to determine which aspects could be integrated and which should be considered. Such as the provisions for limiting the study load per week, the structure of the content and other aspects that must follow the provisions of the national curriculum.

The next stage is an assessment of the national curriculum material, which needs to be strengthened with content from the boarding school curriculum. Curriculum integration from MTsN 2 Jombang does not add to or replace the content of the national curriculum with content from Islamic boarding schools but rather strengthens material from the existing national curriculum with the material contained in the content of Islamic boarding schools. The Islamic boarding school content, which is not included in the national curriculum, is added to the local content as additional knowledge for students who can support the content in the national curriculum.

This study describes the Core Competencies and Basic Competencies that need to be achieved and examines books by the content of the government’s curriculum. The selection of this book is adjusted to the names of the subjects in the national curriculum structure. Among them are the Fiqh subjects from the national curriculum added material from the book Fathul Qorib by Shaykh Al-Ghazi, Aqidah Akhlak added material from the book Aqidatul Awam by Shaykh Ahmad Marzuki and so on.

This integration ultimately gives added value to madrasas because apart from being able to meet the set KI and KD standards, madrasas also provide a learning experience to students in the form of direct learning from Islamic scholars through the classic books they write. These two stages resulted in a curriculum design that the Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School Foundation later ratified. MTsN 2 Jombang then received policies and directions on the structure of the curriculum down to aspects of institutional management from the assembly in charge.

Based on the findings above, curriculum planning in MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang and MTsN 2 Jombang is structured from top to bottom. The Pondok boarding school Foundation oversees the two institutions. Each unit is specifically tasked with formulating and initiating the curriculum model used by educational institutions. This is like one of the curriculum development models presented by Amka, namely The Administrative Model, a curriculum development model where planning is carried out by a curriculum development steering team formed by educational administrators and then forwarded to educational institutions for implementation. (Amka, 20200). The education administrator here is the party that oversees the educational institutions under it. In the context of this research, it is the Islamic boarding school foundation.

The boarding school Foundation formed a curriculum development team, which in this study was called the Department of Education and Islamic Boarding Schools Bahrul Ulum and the Darul Ulum Education and Recitation Council (MTsN 2 Jombang). The curriculum development team then formulated the curriculum by considering various aspects. In its design, the team can involve several parties, especially from the madrasa, be it the deputy head of the curriculum, the madrasa curriculum development team or representatives of educators who are considered competent. In addition to streamlining the curriculum formulation, this kind of planning flow can also accommodate all aspects of consideration in curriculum planning.

The planning for integration of the boarding school-based curriculum implemented by MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang and MTsN 2 Jombang was carried out by a curriculum development team formed by a foundation, which also involved various parties from both institutions, namely the madrasa and Islamic boarding school foundations. Cooperation from various parties is essential to build education management, especially an effective curriculum in achieving national education goals.

In addition to the needs of students, curriculum planning in MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang and MTsN 2 Jombang also considers the potential of the area or the madrasa environment. Jombang is an area known as a city of students. The people of Jombang have a deeply rooted Islamic culture, so many people in Jombang want to send their children to Islamic educational institutions. They send to schools that teach Islamic sciences in depth, hoping that a generation with solid Islamic character will be born from these educational institutions.

The condition of the area and the community’s wishes have become a great potential for madrasas as Islamic educational institutions to gain the community’s trust. Departing from this consideration, curriculum planning in MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang and MTsN 2 Jombang, both under the auspices of the sizable Islamic boarding school foundation in Jombang, is to carry out the integration of a boarding school-based curriculum.

Curriculum integration planning by MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang has been carried out in a structured and systematic manner by considering students’ potential and environment. The core curriculum of boarding school-based madrasas is well managed through institutions formed by foundations and curriculum development teams owned by madrasas. In addition, core curriculum planning which involves various parties, also encourages the achievement of curriculum goals to improve the quality of madrasa education. As mentioned by Edward Sallis in Kasim A. Usman, the quality of madrasas can be achieved by involving many parties according to their duties, functions and responsibilities both in the planning process and implementation. (Kasim A. Usman, 2017). Such good cooperation can be described in the following model:

Core Curriculum Planning Management Flowchart

(See in PDF FILE)

Educational Foundations are Islamic Boarding Schools that oversee madrasas and form and give authority to literacy development teams. The team has the task of initiating and formulating an Islamic boarding school curriculum that needs to be integrated with the madrasa curriculum, studying KI KD, content and books that must be taught to students. In its implementation in madrasas, the literacy development team is also tasked with evaluating the curriculum according to a set period.

In other words, madrasas in the curriculum integration planning flow implement curriculum designs. When planning by the literacy development team, several representatives from the madrasa were also involved in providing input and ideas based on knowledge and experience in the madrasa. After the foundation determined the curriculum design, the madrasa prepared everything needed to implement the curriculum while still coordinating intensively with the foundation’s literacy development team.

CONCLUSION

Core curriculum planning in MTs Bahrul Ulum Jombang and MTsN 2 Jombang is carried out in a structured way from top to bottom. Planning is carried out by a curriculum development team formed by the foundation, involving various parties from the two institutions, namely madrasas and Islamic boarding school foundations. The curriculum is formulated in a structured and systematic manner by considering students’ potential and their environment.

Theoretical Implications

In addition to considering the needs of students, core curriculum planning also considers the potential of the madrasa environment. Curriculum planning that meets regional and environmental potential aspects will be easier to implement because it aligns with the community’s wishes.

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