Volume III: Education and Ecological Literacy

Integrating Total Quality Management in Islamic Boarding Schools: A Qualitative Study on Teacher Management and Learning Quality Enhancement

  • Yusuf Hidayat UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia
  • Dadan Rusmana UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia
  • Asep Nursobah UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia
  • Dewi Sadiah UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia

Keywords

Total Quality Management; Teacher Management; Learning Quality; Islamic Boarding Schools.

Abstract

As Islamic boarding schools face increasing demands for educational accountability, they are challenged to strengthen institutional governance and instructional effectiveness without compromising their distinctive religious and communal identity. This study aims to identify how Total Quality Management (TQM)- based teacher management enhances learning quality while preserving the spiritual mission and pedagogical focus of these institutions. Furthermore, it seeks to offer a contextual model of integrated quality-spiritual management wherein TQM supports educational improvement without eroding the distinctive character of the pesantren. The research employed a qualitative case-study design conducted at two Islamic boarding schools located in Ciamis Regency, Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews and observation from a population consisting of 57 educators across both institutions. The analysis revealed that quality in the pesantren context is understood holistically as the integration of instructional discipline, spiritual guidance, and character formation. Additionally, the study found that administrative simplification is necessary to protect teachers' pedagogical time and preserve meaningful interactions with students. The implementation of TQM proved to be more effective when traditional spiritual authority remained under the kyai's leadership while technical and managerial tasks were distributed among other school actors. Moreover, sustainable quality improvement was heavily dependent on teacher empowerment, role clarity, and comprehensive institutional support. Overall, these findings indicate that the success of TQM depends on the institution’s ability to reinterpret managerial standards as a moral-pedagogical endeavor rather than an inflexible corporate framework. The study concludes that TQM implementation in Islamic boarding schools is effective only when organically integrated with the institution's moral, spiritual, and pedagogical character rather than adopted as a rigid technical governance system.

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