From routine to system: Institutionalizing religious habituation through governance structures in Islamic junior secondary education

Abstract

Although religious routine activities are widely implemented in Islamic schools, limited empirical attention has been given to how such programs are structurally embedded within formal governance systems to ensure long-term sustainability. Prior research has primarily focused on measuring student-level outcomes while overlooking the organizational infrastructures that sustain these practices over time. Addressing this gap, this qualitative instrumental single-case study examines how a Morning Religious Program is institutionalized at MTs An Najah Petaling, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra, Indonesia, over a six-month period (January–August 2025). Data were collected through non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews with six key institutional actors (principal, Islamic Education teacher, homeroom teacher, student affairs administrator, and two students), and analysis of official documents including schedules, attendance logs, and supervisory reports. The study analyzes four interconnected managerial processes: program planning, implementation, supervision, and evaluation. The findings indicate that sustainability is reinforced through regulated scheduling, explicit task delegation, continuous monitoring, and systematic documentation. These structured routines function as formalized habituation processes that cultivate discipline, shared responsibility, and the gradual normalization of Islamic values, although deeper moral internalization requires complementary pedagogical reinforcement. The study demonstrates that religious habituation becomes sustainable when systematically aligned with formal institutional management structures rather than relying solely on individual initiative, offering actionable insights for Islamic school leaders and policymakers.