Character education in comparative perspective: Ki Hajar Dewantara’s Budi Pekerti education and the character and citizenship education framework in Singapore

Ulil Amri Syafri; Norizzah Bte Muhammad Asker; Zainaba Bte Omar; Mohamad Yazid Bin Hassan

doi:10.32832/tawazun.v19i2.24070

Authors

Ulil Amri Syafri Postgraduate School of Islamic Education, Universitas Ibn Khaldun Bogor
Norizzah Bte Muhammad Asker Assyafaah Mosque for aLive Programme Singapore
Zainaba Bte Omar Postgraduate School of Islamic Education, Universitas Ibn Khaldun Bogor
Mohamad Yazid Bin Hassan Postgraduate School of Islamic Education, Universitas Ibn Khaldun Bogor

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32832/tawazun.v19i2.24070

Keywords:

character education, Ki Hajar Dewantara, Character and Citizenship Education, comparative education, Singapore

Abstract

Character education has become a central concern in contemporary educational discourse because education is expected not only to develop students’ intellectual abilities but also to cultivate moral integrity and social responsibility. This study aims to analyze the concept of budi pekerti in the educational thought of Ki Hajar Dewantara and to compare it with the Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) framework in Singapore’s education system. The research employs a qualitative approach through library research and document analysis of Ki Hajar Dewantara’s writings, Singapore’s educational policy documents, and relevant academic literature. A comparative analysis was conducted to identify similarities in principles and differences in educational approaches between the two frameworks. The findings reveal that Ki Hajar Dewantara places budi pekerti at the center of education through the Among System, the Tri-Center of Education, and teacher exemplarity, while CCE integrates character education through moral values, civic awareness, and socio-emotional competencies. The novelty of this study lies in its conceptual comparative analysis linking Indonesian educational philosophy with contemporary character education policy.

Abstrak

Pendidikan karakter menjadi perhatian penting dalam diskursus pendidikan kontemporer karena pendidikan tidak hanya bertujuan mengembangkan kemampuan intelektual, tetapi juga membentuk integritas moral dan tanggung jawab sosial peserta didik. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis konsep pendidikan budi pekerti dalam pemikiran Ki Hajar Dewantara dan membandingkannya dengan kerangka Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) dalam sistem pendidikan Singapura. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui studi kepustakaan dengan analisis dokumen terhadap karya Ki Hajar Dewantara, dokumen kebijakan pendidikan Singapura, serta literatur terkait pendidikan karakter. Analisis komparatif dilakukan untuk mengidentifikasi kesamaan prinsip dan perbedaan pendekatan dalam kedua kerangka pendidikan tersebut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemikiran Ki Hajar Dewantara menempatkan budi pekerti sebagai inti pendidikan melalui Sistem Among, Tri Pusat Pendidikan, dan keteladanan pendidik, sedangkan CCE mengintegrasikan pendidikan karakter melalui penanaman nilai moral, kesadaran kewarganegaraan, dan pengembangan kompetensi sosial-emosional. Kebaruan penelitian ini terletak pada analisis komparatif konseptual yang mempertemukan filsafat pendidikan Ki Hajar Dewantara dengan kebijakan pendidikan karakter modern.

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