Islamic Leadership in Madrasah Curriculum Management in the 21st Century

Abstrak

This study examines the strategic role of Islamic leadership in madrasa curriculum management within the context of 21st-century education. The increasing demand for madrasas to preserve their Islamic identity while simultaneously fostering students’ competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, digital literacy, and moral integrity has intensified the need for adaptive and value-driven leadership. However, the implementation of contemporary curricula in madrasas remains constrained by structural and cultural challenges, including limited infrastructure, uneven teacher capacity, diverse student backgrounds, and insufficient parental engagement. These challenges indicate that curriculum reform cannot rely solely on technical design but must be supported by leadership that integrates Islamic values into educational governance. Employing a qualitative library research approach, this study synthesizes relevant scholarly literature on Islamic leadership, curriculum management, and madrasa education. The study addresses a critical gap in the literature concerning the strategic function of Islamic leadership in curriculum planning, implementation, and evaluation in modern madrasa contexts. The findings reveal that Islamic leadership grounded in the principles of amanah (trustworthiness), shura (consultation), justice, and uswah hasanah (exemplary conduct) plays a pivotal role in developing integrated curricula, cultivating a religious school culture, enhancing teacher professionalism, and implementing holistic student assessment. This study concludes that Islamic leadership serves as a value-based strategic framework that significantly contributes to improving educational quality and strengthening student character in response to contemporary educational demands