The Implementation of the 5S Culture in Shaping the Religious Character of Pupils at MTs Safinatun Najah

Abstract

The development of students’ religious morality requires educational environments that consistently integrate character values into daily practices. In Islamic educational institutions, school culture can function as a medium for character formation through repeated habituation and social interaction. This study aims to explore the implementation of the 5S culture (Smile, Greet, Say Hello, Be Polite, and Be Courteous) and its relationship with students’ religious morality at MTs Safinatun Najah, Blora. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews, and documentation involving the head of the madrasah, guidance and counseling teacher, and student informants. Data were analyzed through data condensation, data display, and conclusion verification, with credibility strengthened through source triangulation, technique triangulation, and member checking. The findings indicate that the 5S culture has been institutionalized through madrasah policies, morning-duty teacher arrangements, teacher role modeling, and daily student interactions. Students demonstrated habitual practices of greeting teachers, practicing salim, communicating politely, and showing respectful interactions within the madrasah environment. Supporting documentary evidence showed a 35% decrease in recorded disciplinary violations, positive discipline records among 85% of students, and reports from 92% of responding parents regarding improvements in students’ politeness at home, Documentary evidence from school records and parental feedback indicated positive behavioral patterns among students. These numerical indicators were used as supporting contextual data rather than as independent quantitative measurements. The study concludes that the 5S culture functions as an institutionalized form of hidden curriculum that supports Islamic character education through habituation, teacher exemplification, school policies, and family involvement. However, the findings do not establish a direct causal relationship between 5S implementation and changes in students’ religious morality, as students’ behavior is also influenced by various educational and social factors.