Revisiting Character Education Practices in Indonesia A Critical Qualitative Inquiry into Structural and Pedagogical Weaknesses

Abstract

This study critically examines the structural and pedagogical weaknesses embedded in the implementation of character education in Indonesian primary and junior secondary schools. Although national education policies strongly emphasize character formation as a foundational goal, empirical evidence from prior studies and preliminary observations indicates persistent gaps between policy aspirations and classroom realities. Employing a critical qualitative multiple-case study design grounded in critical pedagogy, data were collected through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis across four schools representing diverse contexts (public–private and urban–rural settings. Cross-case thematic analysis identified four recurring and interrelated challenges: administrative formalism that prioritizes documentation over substantive practice; predominantly didactic instructional approaches that limit critical reflection; policy practice disjunction resulting from insufficient institutional alignment; and contradictions within the hidden curriculum that undermine the authenticity of moral messaging. The findings indicate that character education is frequently enacted as symbolic compliance, as evidenced by emphasis on documentation and ritualized activities rather than reflective learning processes. By situating these weaknesses within broader accountability structures and institutional pressures, this study moves beyond descriptive accounts of implementation challenges and offers a systemic explanation of their persistence. The research contributes to character education scholarship by providing a systemic explanation linking accountability structures to pedagogical practices, dialogical pedagogy, and culturally aligned school leadership. Meaningful reform, therefore, requires reorienting evaluation systems toward qualitative indicators of student reflection and aligning pedagogical practices with dialogical and context-responsive approached.