This study addresses the phenomenon of elite Islamic schools in Indonesia by focusing on Al Azhar Islamic High School in Jakarta. Taking as its starting point the evolution and expansion of Islamic educational institutions in contemporary Indonesia, particularly since the 1970s, it examines the emergence of elite Islamic schools and identifies the unique characteristics that attract many urban, middle-class Muslims to send their children to these schools. In addition, this study attempts to address the lack of research on the history of Islamic education in Indonesia between the years 1970 and 2000. A review of past studies demonstrates that this period has not been critically examined enough. / In looking at the specific example of Al Azhar Islamic High School, an evaluative case study and ethnographic techniques were employed. Interviews, observations, and fieldnotes served as primary resources. As the first elite Islamic school ever founded, it has distinguished itself as a pioneer in providing educational service especially to the urban Muslim society in Jakarta. My central research question was whether the changes that had occurred in the Islamic educational system following the introduction of elite or excellence-oriented schools had really lived up to expectations. More specifically, I inquired into the strengths and weaknesses of elite Islamic schools faced with the task of meeting ongoing and complex challenges in this era of globalization, while at the same time maintaining Islamic teachings and practices. / However, this study found that there is still a gap between the ideals of the elite Islamic school and its ability to pursue its stated goals of education. The lack of human resources and poor communications between school community and government show that these schools have not yet achieved the highest quality standards. The study also reveals that the school has to adopt policies to promote transparency in the organizational and administrative spheres, openness to non-Muslims, and accessibility to other sections of society. / This research makes a contribution to the fields of school reform and school effectiveness. Moreover, the study may also have implications for other social and religious contexts.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.102720 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Rifai, Nurlena. |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Curriculum and Instruction.) |
| Rights | © Nurlena Rifai, 2006 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002569402, proquestno: AAINR27832, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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