ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND MORAL DEVELOPMENTOF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT

Abstract

Moral development has become a central concern in contemporary education, particularly at the senior high school level where adolescents experience significant cognitive, emotional, and identity-related transitions. Islamic education holds a strategic position in addressing moral formation by integrating spiritual values, ethical reasoning, and character education. This conceptual article examines the role of Islamic education in fostering the moral development of senior high school students through a synthesis of contemporary scholarly literature. Drawing on Islamic educational philosophy, moral psychology, and secondary education studies, the article analyzes how Islamic education contributes to value internalization, moral reasoning, and ethical behavior among adolescents. The discussion highlights key dimensions of moral development, including faith-based ethics, character cultivation, and social responsibility, while also addressing challenges posed by globalization, digital culture, and value pluralism. The findings suggest that Islamic education, when delivered through contextualized pedagogy and reflective learning approaches, can significantly support students’ moral growth during adolescence. This article concludes that strengthening Islamic education in senior high schools requires an integrative framework that aligns religious values with students’ lived experiences and contemporary social realities.