Teachers’ perspectives on tolerance education in Indonesian high schools

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to investigate the perception of teachers on tolerance and the way in which tolerance can be taught in education institutions. It is based on interviews with 152 teachers from 28 high schools in four cities (Batu, Jember, Lamongan, and Nganjuk) in East Java, Indonesia, as well as Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with high school principals, teachers, and representatives from the Office of Education in the city of Surabaya. While our findings confirm the previous studies about the role of teachers in shaping students’ approach to diversity, we put forth an argument that the concept of tolerance has not been whole-heartedly embraced by Indonesian teachers. The absence of interreligious learning renders questionable the effectiveness of cultivating tolerance in a multi-religious Indonesia. The first part of the article offers a theoretical discussion on the link between education and tolerance. In the second part, our findings will be presented, including teachers’ view of tolerance, the way tolerance is taught, and various strategies develop to prevent intolerance. The final part discusses the findings within a broader context of religious literacy and citizenship education.

KEYWORDS:

• Tolerance
• education
• Indonesia
• citizenship

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Indonesian Directorate General of Higher Education for its generous support. This research is part of the 2023 International Research Collaboration funded by the Directorate General.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mun’im Sirry

Mun’im Sirry is an associate professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, USA. His research interests include religious pluralism, political theology, Qur’anic studies, and Christian-Muslim relations. He is the author of Youth, Education, and Islamic Radicalism (2024), The Qur’an with Cross-References (2022), and Controversies over Islamic Origins (2021).

Bagong Suyanto

Bagong Suyanto is a distinguished professor of sociology at Airlangga University in Surabaya, Indonesia. His research is focused on social inequality and the complexities surrounding tolerance and education, with a special reference to Indonesian high schools. He is renowned for his expertise in child rights violations.

Rahma Sugihartati

Rahma Sugihartati is a senior lecturer at Airlangga University in Surabaya, Indonesia, specializing in youth culture studies and social dynamics. Her research revolves around the intersection of cultural influences, digital trends, and educational practices. Her scholarly works examine the effectiveness of tolerance education strategies in Indonesian schools.

Drajad Trikartono

Drajat Tri Kartono is a senior lecturer at Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia. His research focuses on social crisis which covers areas of urban crisis, family crisis, economy crisis, and identity crisis. His publications include urban sociology, international labor migration, and sociology development.

Muhammad Turhan Yani

Muhammad Turhan Yani is a professor at the Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. His research interests include sociology of religion, social humanities, and multicultural education.