JURNAL KONTESTASI MADRASAH IBTIDAIYAH DAN SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI DI TULUNGAGUNG: PERGESERAN PREFERENSI MASYARAKAT DALAM MEMILIH PENDIDIKAN DASAR

Jurnal Pendidikan Islam

Abstract

Changes in community preferences in selecting primary education institutions have generated increasingly intense competition between Islamic Primary Schools (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah / MI) and Public Primary Schools (Sekolah Dasar Negeri / SDN) in various regions, including Tulungagung Regency. This study aims to analyze the forms of contestation between MI and SDN, identify the factors influencing changes in community preferences in choosing primary education institutions, and examine their implications for primary education governance at the local level. This research employs a qualitative approach using a case study method. Data were collected through interviews, observations, documentation, and supported by secondary data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Education Office, online media reports, and previous academic studies. Data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing using an interactive analysis model.

The findings reveal that the contestation between MI and SDN does not merely occur in attracting new students but also involves competition in improving educational service quality, developing distinctive school programs, building institutional reputation, and strengthening public trust. Changes in community preferences are influenced by several factors, including educational service quality, teacher competence, school leadership, character and religious education, school facilities, learning innovations, institutional reputation, and increasing public access to educational information. This contestation has significant implications for primary education governance in Tulungagung Regency, particularly regarding student distribution, school restructuring, quality assurance systems, educational service innovation, and the need for policy synergy between the Education Office and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This study argues that competition among educational institutions can serve as a mechanism for improving educational quality when managed through collaborative, adaptive, and community-oriented governance.

Keywords: educational contestation, Islamic Primary School, Public Primary School, community preference, primary education governance.