Character education is a crucial foundation for developing a generation of people with noble morals and quality. This article examines the role and implementation of character education in West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, as an effort to realize the vision of quality and character-based education.
Using a descriptive approach, this article analyzes character education implementation strategies involving educational institutions, local wisdom, and community participation. The study's findings indicate that character education implementation in West Sumbawa Regency is carried out through the integration of values in learning, habituation, role models, and the use of local wisdom as a medium for instilling character values.
Character education has become a central issue in Indonesian education as a response to the various moral challenges facing the younger generation. Hendriana and Jacobus (2017) emphasize that character education encompasses various efforts undertaken by school personnel, parents, and community members.
This is implemented in an effort to help children and adolescents become caring, principled, and responsible individuals. In this context, education focuses not only on cognitive aspects but also on developing strong character and integrity.
West Sumbawa Regency, as a region in West Nusa Tenggara Province, is strongly committed to providing quality and character-based education. The West Sumbawa Regency Education and Culture Office affirms its vision of creating a society with morals and achievements in accordance with National Education Standards.
This commitment is in line with the central government's directives emphasizing the importance of character development as a strategy for creating superior human resources (Directorate of Basic Education Teachers, 2022).
The uniqueness of West Sumbawa Regency lies in its rich local wisdom, which can be utilized as a medium for character education. Local wisdom, such as traditional arts, folklore, and Sumbawanese cultural values, are valuable assets in instilling character values in the younger generation. Therefore, this article aims to examine in depth the role and implementation of character education in West Sumbawa Regency, taking into account the local context and challenges faced.
The Concept of Character Education
"Teachers are to be respected and imitated." An old adage, but with new connotations. Character education can be defined as the effort to instill values in students through various means to develop them into individuals who are useful to themselves, society, and the nation (Ningsih, n.d.). This concept emphasizes personality development, encompassing cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects holistically.
According to Insani (2024), the history of character education in Indonesia began before independence, with a traditional education system that emphasized the formation of morals and character. Pancasila, as the state ideology, became a crucial foundation for developing character education, which was then further developed by each school according to its local circumstances and context.
The implementation of character education in schools has several primary goals. First, it shapes students' personalities with positive character values such as honesty, responsibility, discipline, and caring. Second, it creates an educational environment conducive to student character development. Third, it prepares a younger generation capable of facing the challenges of modernization and globalization while adhering to the nation's noble values.
Character Values in the Local Context of West Sumbawa
West Sumbawa Regency boasts a rich local culture that can serve as a source of character education values. Research on folklore in West Sumbawa Regency shows that it contains various character education values.
These include the values of curiosity, environmental stewardship, peace, hard work, national spirit, responsibility, honesty, creativity, religiosity, discipline, independence, and peace. These values are highly relevant to elementary school learning and can be integrated into the curriculum.
In addition to folklore, traditional arts are also an effective medium for instilling character education. The Sakeco art form found in Sumbawa Besar Regency, for example, contains messages and meanings that can be used for character education (2023). Traditional arts like this serve not only as entertainment but also as a medium for transmitting cultural values and character from generation to generation.
Utilizing local wisdom in character education has several advantages. First, the values conveyed are more contextual and easier for students to understand because they originate from their own cultural environment. Second, the use of local wisdom can strengthen students' cultural identity amidst globalization. Third, local wisdom provides concrete and relevant examples of applying character values in everyday life.
Implementation of Character Education in West Sumbawa Regency
Character education implemented and applied in West Sumbawa Regency is as follows:
Implementation Strategy
Character education implementation in West Sumbawa Regency is carried out through various comprehensive and integrated strategies. Based on research on the implementation of character education in Indonesian elementary schools (2020), several approaches can be adopted, including integration into subjects, extracurricular activities, and school culture.
First, Integrating character values into subjects is a key strategy. Teachers not only deliver subject matter but also instill character values relevant to each subject. For example, in Indonesian language lessons, teachers can use Sumbawa folklore to teach the values of honesty, responsibility, and independence.
Second, Modeling and habituation methods are key to character education. Hendriana and Jacobus (2017) emphasize that teachers and school personnel must be role models for students in their behavior and attitudes. Habituation is achieved through routine activities such as praying before class, carrying out cleaning duties, and implementing a culture of greetings and salutations.
Third, Utilizing extracurricular activities as a vehicle for character development. Activities such as scouting, traditional arts, sports, and student organizations provide opportunities for students to develop various aspects of character, such as leadership, cooperation, discipline, and creativity.
The Role of Educational Institutions
The West Sumbawa Regency Education and Culture Office plays a central role in coordinating the implementation of character education. As the institution responsible for the administration of education in the region, the Education and Culture Office establishes policies, provides implementation guidelines, and monitors and evaluates the implementation of character education in schools.
Schools in West Sumbawa Regency, both elementary and secondary, are committed to providing quality education by supporting students' academic and character development. West Sumbawa State Senior High School, for example, explicitly states its commitment to creating a superior and high-achieving generation with strong character.
Implementing character education requires the involvement of all parties in the education ecosystem. Teachers, as the frontline, must be competent in integrating character values into learning. Principals play a leadership role, providing direction and creating a school culture that supports character education. Meanwhile, parents and the community need to be actively involved in strengthening the character education students receive at school.
Challenges and Solutions
The implementation of character education in West Sumbawa Regency faces several challenges. First, The influence of modernization and globalization brings new values that are not always aligned with the character values that are intended to be instilled. Ningsih (tt) emphasized that the influence of modernization and globalization, which adds so much color to the lives of adolescents, must be fortified with strong character education.
Second, Limited resources, both in terms of infrastructure and teacher competency, are necessary to implement character education effectively. Not all teachers have adequate understanding and skills to integrate character education into their teaching.
Third, Lack of synergy between schools, families, and communities in supporting character education. Character education cannot function optimally if it is implemented solely in schools without support from the family and community.
To overcome these challenges, several solutions can be implemented. First, increasing teacher capacity through training and workshops on character education implementation strategies. Second, strengthening partnerships between schools, families, and communities through programs that involve all stakeholders.
Third, Optimizing the use of local wisdom as a contextual and effective medium for instilling character values. Fourth, developing a systematic monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that the implementation of character education is proceeding according to its intended objectives.
Conclusion
Character education plays a vital role in shaping a young generation of West Sumbawa Regency with noble morals and quality. Character education is implemented through integration into learning, role models and habits, and the use of local wisdom as a contextual and effective medium.
Successful implementation of character education requires commitment and collaboration from all parties, including the Department of Education and Culture, schools, teachers, parents, and the community. West Sumbawa's local wisdom, such as folklore and traditional arts, is a valuable asset that can be optimized to strengthen cultural identity and instill character values in students.
Going forward, sustained efforts are needed to improve the quality of character education implementation by enhancing teacher capacity, strengthening stakeholder partnerships, and developing a systematic monitoring and evaluation system. This will ensure the vision of creating a moral and high-achieving West Sumbawa community can be optimally achieved.
Bibliography
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Written by: Moral WisdomFifth Semester Student. Faculty of Teacher Training and Education. English Language Education Department. Cordova University
