Islamic Religious Education in Public Schools: A Five-Dimensional Analysis of Challenges in Educational Transformation

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the problems of Islamic Religious Education in public schools within the context of national educational transformation. The study employed a qualitative research approach using a literature review method. Data were obtained from relevant scholarly literature, including academic books, journal articles, and educational policy documents. The literature was analyzed using content analysis through comprehensive reading, initial coding, categorization, cross-source comparison, and conceptual synthesis. The findings indicate that the problems of Islamic Religious Education are complex, systemic, and interconnected across five dimensions: curriculum, pedagogy, teacher competence, learning assessment, and the social environment. The analysis shows that curriculum content remains insufficiently contextualized, learning practices tend to be teacher-centered, teacher competence in digital and innovative pedagogy remains uneven, and assessment continues to emphasize cognitive outcomes. At the same time, social and technological changes create additional challenges for strengthening students’ religious awareness and character. These conditions reveal a gap between the holistic objectives of Islamic Religious Education and its implementation in public schools. The study concludes that improving Islamic Religious Education requires an integrated, contextual, and adaptive framework that connects curriculum development, transformative pedagogy, continuous teacher professional development, authentic assessment, and supportive social environments. The study contributes a multidimensional conceptual perspective for understanding the interconnected nature of these challenges.