Integrating Qur’anic Values into School Leadership for Learning Quality: Evidence from Indonesia’s School Transformation Program

Abstract

The persistent challenges in improving learning quality in Indonesia, as reflected in international assessments and uneven leadership capacity, highlight the critical role of school principals in driving educational transformation. This study aims to analyze the leadership management practices of principals in Integrated Islamic Sekolah Penggerak junior high schools, examine their strategies for improving learning quality, and identify supporting and inhibiting factors influencing implementation. Employing a qualitative approach with a descriptive case study design, the research was conducted in three Integrated Islamic Sekolah Penggerak schools in Lampung Province through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis, with data analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. The findings reveal that principals implemented visionary, participatory, and instructional leadership practices characterized by vision-based strategic planning, collaborative decision-making, reflective instructional supervision, and the integration of Qur’anic values into school management and learning processes. These practices contributed to improved teacher engagement, instructional innovation, and the strengthening of character-based and technology-supported learning. Supporting factors included strong institutional commitment, active teacher participation, and shared Islamic values, while inhibiting factors comprised limited teacher capacity in creative instructional practices, insufficient inclusive and preventive policies, and the lack of systematic long-term evaluation. Based on these findings, this study formulates the Qur’anic Values–Based Integrated Management Model (QV-BIMM) as a novel and contextually responsive framework that integrates contemporary leadership principles with Islamic ethical foundations. The study implies that strengthening principal leadership through value-based and context-sensitive management approaches can enhance learning quality and support sustainable educational reform, particularly within Islamic school settings participating in national transformation programs.