Strategies for preventing physical violence in Islamic boarding school : a case study

Abstract

Islamic Boarding Schools (pesantren) play a crucial role in education, as they are expected to foster safe, comfortable, and conducive learning environments. Nevertheless, a major challenge Pesantren faces is the prevalence of physical violence. Despite their historical success in producing national figures and holding significant positions in the country, the reputation of pesantren has been tarnished by several documented cases of violence, including tragic student deaths allegedly resulting from abuse by seniors. Despite the prominence of this issue, there is a lack of scientific data that comprehensively examines the matter, particularly regarding how pesantren ensures a safe and comfortable learning environment. The research will be guided by three main questions: 1). What are the pesantren's strategies to prevent violence, and to what extent it has been implemented? 2). What are the constraints of pesantren's strategies based on the victim's perspective? 3). How does pesantren nurture their santri in cultivating nonviolent behaviour? This study employs a qualitative approach and utilizes various techniques of data collection: interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), observations, and documentation. The collected data were analyzed by a multistage process involving data organization, categorization, synthesis, analysis, and writing. The study findings shed light on the diverse range of strategies implemented by pesantren to create a safe and conducive educational environment, with a particular emphasis on preventing physical violence. These strategies include limiting the authority of senior students (mudabbir), establishing discipline guidelines, imposing sanctions, assigning guardians (wali asuh), designing infrastructure, segregating dormitories, conducting socialization and non-violence programs, and inculcating moral values. Pesantren claims that these strategies have resulted in positive outcomes, effectively reducing incidents of violence, with some semesters reporting minimal or no violent occurrences. However, victims of physical violence highlight certain constraints within these strategies. Strict sanctions may deter victims from reporting incidents and creating a culture of silence, the involvement of ustadz and mudabbir in perpetrating violence, Insufficient ustadz supervision, the understanding of the discipline still leans towards physical punishment, and there is a lack of psychological support for traumatized santri. The study also explores implementing the authoritative nurturing style within Pesantren, which involves administering punishments and setting limits and controls on students' behavior to prevent violence. This parenting style offers benefits such as student monitoring, fostering friendly relations, facilitating responsible learning, informed decision-making, and developing leadership skills. However, the potential misuse of authority by ustadz and mudabbir poses a weakness that demands proper oversight and intervention to ensure fairness in disciplinary actions. Future studies could compare strategies employed by traditional pesantren or other types of Islamic Boarding Schools to gain a comprehensive understanding of the violent situation within pesantren.