International Islamic Boarding School (IIBS) negotiating pesantren values with the demands of upper-middle society : a case study

Abstract

Pesantren serve as exemplary models for other Islamic educational institutions in their endeavors to educate students. The pesantren values of sincerity, simplicity. and self-independence, which are rooted in Islamic teachings, have been embraced by various institutions as means to cultivate positive personal character in accordance with religious doctrines. In contrast, the emergence of Islamic educational institutions that engaged in the International Standard School (ISS) program occurred during the 2000s. Despite the program's cancellation by the Constitutional Court, it is observed that several Islamic educational institutions persist in utilizing the designation "international" as a means to enhance their social standing. The International Islamic Boarding School (IIBS) is an Islamic educational institution that employs the term "international" as a marketing tactic to promote its boarding-based approach. In addition to its exceptional international standard programs, this institution effectively incorporates both foreign and domestic curricula, resulting in the recognition of certain programs as "international pesantren" within the institution. The objective of this qualitative research is to examine the phenomenon of IIBS negotiation in relation to its internationalization efforts, while considering the application of the three pesantren values mentioned earlier. In this study, I contend that by examining the case of pesantren Algebra HIBS, Algebra education has effectively implemented pesantren values within an urban context, encompassing both students and parents. Furthermore, akin to other institutions within the IIBS framework, this particular establishment exhibits a tendency to commodify pesantren and its associated values in order to attract the middle- and upper-class segments of the market. This assertion is substantiated by the considerable financial investment made by parents in enrolling their offspring in this educational establishment. In addition to the commodification of pesantren and its values, Algebra has emerged as a symbol of an internationally recognized standard within the pesantren community, thereby exerting an influence on its social standing and surrounding milieu.