Building Tolerant Communities through Basic Intercultural
Education
Irzum Farihah
Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri (STAIN) Kudus, Jl. Conge Ngembalrejo Po Box 51, Kudus, Indonesia.
Keywords: Tolerance, Intercultural Education, Religious Faith.
Abstract: Tolerance amongst Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, and believers in Jrahi village has been going on
hereditarily. However, with the development of information technology that shows various intolerant
actions, the condition is now presumed to be more worrying that the attitude of the community gets affected,
especially that of the children. Therefore, this research aims at building the attitude of tolerance to students
of SDN 1 Jrahi which was conducted by each religion teacher by inculcating religious values in intercultural
education. This research used a qualitative approach and the data collection method was by using
observation, interviews, and documentations. The data sources of this research comprise the teachers of
SDN 1 Jrahi, the surrounding community, and the students. The research results include: first, the teachers
inculcate tolerance to the students with intercultural education, that is, by building good rapport amongst
human beings democratically. Second, the teachers always gave opportunities to the students to apply
teachings of religion through having prayers in congregation, in-depth learning of gospel, and puja bhakti
(devotion). Third, it was found that mutual understanding amongst people across religions was successfully
built by the teachers, students, and the community.
1 INTRODUCTION
Religious education is a sub-system of national
education which has a very strategic role, so
religious education is included in the curriculum of
primary, secondary and college education to restore
the eastern values that have begun to shift. It is also
affected by the development of technology that has
gone rapidly, so as to influence the inculcation of
tolerance attitude amongst children that has been
established from time to time through heredity.
Intercultural education through inculcation of
religious values that are taught to every student is
expected to be able to build tolerance through early
ages
The delivery of religious teaching through
education is the essential foundation for students to
have provisions in community life, while the school
is one of the main places for the production and
reproduction of religion (Coulby, 2008). The
implementation of religious teaching in SDN 1 Jrahi
is not only conducted to the religion of a majority of
students solely; the minority of which is also given
the same portion of the right to have the education.
When it is not balanced in giving the right of
education, it is likely to cause tensions across
religions or ethnics (Essomba, 2017).
At the micro and pedagogical level, either in the
context of formal education and informal, it contains
cooperative dimension in the process of learning
which requires openness level (Bash, 2014). It
demands the teachers be more creative in developing
the material of religion when teaching the students.
As Hilferty (2008) states that the focus of
intercultural education, in particular, promotes
cohesion, tolerance, and social understanding as well
as an application of media (Strugielska and
Piątkowska, 2016), assures that students are taught
skills and values needed to participate in diverse
community culturally. Brown (2006) also
emphasizes and elaborates that tolerance should
avoid controversial talks, e.g. identity and faith.
According to Sobre (2017), the critical culture
that is built through intercultural communication,
pedagogy as a knowledge system along with
teachers and students, either that is taught in a
didactic way or that is taught through experience, it
has a mission to build social justice. Toyoda (2016)
sees the importance of external involvement to build
knowledge, experience, awareness, or understanding
220
Farihah, I.
Building Tolerant Communities through Basic Intercultural Education.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 220-224
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

and thinking skill in sustaining communication and
affective behavior which is in accordance with the
intercultural situation. The research in this article
focuses more on how to build the tolerance to the
level of elementary school with the emphasis on
understanding own religion that teaches values of
humanity. Teachers of religion use a variety of
approaches which departs from the daily life of the
children in their interactions.
2 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
The meaning of self-tolerance is the ability to
respect the nature, beliefs, and behaviours of the
others. In Islam it is known as tasamuh which are
understood as the attitude of appreciating, letting, or
allowing the views of others that are contrary to our
views. Education has a very important role in
instilling religious values, traditions, and ritualism
that belong to every religion. That is, education
should present an internal awareness to every
adherent of his religion, otherwise known as
intercultural education. Interculturality is assumed as
a sustainable effort in self and institutional building,
as a way to build a tolerance amongst people of
across religions (Puşchiţa, 2011).
Intercultural education is defined as a holistic
education approach, based on the appreciation of
cultural diversity, which aims at giving the equal
opportunities to all people, getting used to having
dialogs, communications, intercultural competition,
overcoming racism and discrimination on the group
of minority. Hence, the intercultural teaching and
learning have more emphasis on horizontal
relationship, going forward together, and learning
each other (Aman, 2015). According to Coulby
(Holm and Zilliacus, 2009), interculturalism should
be integrated into all subjects and provide multiple
perspectives for a deeper understanding.
Intercultural education has two main discussions,
namely: first, inclusion and participation, which
stress on their similarities. Second, learning to live
together which implies in the feeling of being one
community with each-other respect and regular
dialogs (Batelaan, 2003).
The model of the process of intercultural
competence by Deardorff (2004) consists of three
components, including cognitive, affective,
behavior, while the development of intercultural
competence at school is divided into three sub-
categories: first, a partnership by tolerance
constructed and sharing of experiences and new
learning points. Second, students can learn to
appreciate diversity in society, so as to be able to
realise solidarities and appreciate their colleagues,
and third, society as the media to build intercultural
education (Santos and Simões, 2014). Fourth, it is to
strengthen communication and prevent from the
misunderstanding (Hernández-Bravo, and Cardona-
Moltó, 2017).
Establishing intercultural education as what is
meant earlier takes hard work and creativity of the
teachers to show their empathy towards the students
(Zembylas and Papamichael, 2017) as in the three
areas of difference (race, religion, and culture), it
will be very sensitive and tends to be conflicting.
Therefore, the importance of being developed in
educational programs on two things: first, the
problem of prejudice, that is seeking the root of
prejudice, both race, and religion. Second, look for
effective ways to change behaviour to overcome
prejudices that occur among learners.
Management in the learning process to build the
concept of intercultural education is, of course,
cannot be separated from the effort to make choices
from the perspective of managing the diversity of his
or her religion and the religion in the community.
According to Stoer and Ortesao (2000), there are
two perspectives on the theoretical level: first,
conventional approaches that recognize the diversity
of cultural identity, each of which has the right to
bring their symbols and symbols to the public
sphere. The concept of unity, in this case, is
structured by cultural diversity or later known as
unity in diversity. Second, the perspective of
confessionals, in which case there must be the
arrangement of the management of the ascriptive
symbols in the public space. Where symbols are
allowed to be brought into the public domain are
common symbols.
Durkheim sees the role of an educator as a figure
capable of influencing students to be ready for social
life, as education is the most influential socialization
medium (Cladis, 2008). Besides, the role of the
community is inevitably needed for the students’
intellectual development and individual personality.
It is due to the existence of people as laboratory and
macro sources to enrich the process of education, as
expected from intercultural education which will
create tolerant human beings who are familiar with
dialogs, ready to get along with people, interactive,
cooperative, fulfilling each other, appreciative,
respectful despite the difference in their religion
(Johnson, 2006).
Parsons sees that there are two types of values
that students must acquire as individuals in their
development, which are particular values and
Building Tolerant Communities through Basic Intercultural Education
221

universal values (Abercrombie et.al, 2010; Jary and
Jary, 1991). The particular value will be obtained by
individuals when socializing in their family
environment (primary socialization), the family
background will greatly affect the particular value
studied by individuals, and the results will vary
between individuals and others. When the individual
(student) enters the wider social environment
(school and community), a value previously
obtained is not obtained in the family.
Being an acceptable individual in a diverse
society of cultures and religions certainly, needs to
present an internal awareness first as a follower of
religion. Hence the importance of the cultivation of
religious and moral education at the elementary level
students which will have an impact on social change
(Ramp, 1999). The basic principles of religious
education according to Dewey are: first, religious
education in a plurality context needs to put pressure
on religious experience. As the substance of
religious education, the religious experience will
provide a foundation for the growth of inclusive and
tolerant attitudes towards learners (Dewey and
Alexander, 2013).
Secondly, religious education should not always
be formally conveyed in the classroom, since
religious experience can also be obtained through
various other forms of natural experience, as long as
it directs the individual to obedience to his God. So
this is where the role of teachers is very important to
deliver their students in applying his life experience
religiously. Dewey (1996) sees the role of teachers
in two ways: teachers should create environments
that allow students to be open, focused on religious
experiences and teachers helping students to convey
their experiences into symbolic and verbal
expressions that their peers can understand. Third,
the Deweyan model of religious education
emphasizes the importance of interconnecting with
other disciplines in the religious teaching
curriculum.
3 METHODS
This research uses a qualitative approached, it is to
examine the condition of the natural object in which
the researcher is a key instrument, while the type of
research used is a case study, with the aim to obtain
a complete and in-depth description of the role of
religious teachers in building a tolerant society
through intercultural education from an early age.
The data of this study consist of primary and
secondary. Primary data is data obtained from direct
informants namely principals SDN 1 Jrahi and
religious teachers who served from Islam, Buddhist,
and Christian. In Webster’s new collegiate
dictionary, the informant is an original speaker who
speaks by repeating words, phrases, and sentences in
the language or dialect as an imitation model and
source of information. This is working with
informants starts from ignorance (Miller, 1991).
Data collection techniques use observation and
interview. As expressed by Ritzer (1975)
observation is usually used primarily to observe the
actual behavior. Data analysis of this research using
Miles-Huberman model, including data reduction,
data display, and conclusion (Miles and Huberman,
1994).
4 RESULTS
Jrahi Village is one of the villages located in Sub-
district of Gunung Wungkal, District of Pati with a
diverse population of religions, 70% Islam, 15%
Buddhist, 10% Christian and the rest are believers.
While the house of worship consists of five
mosques, two monasteries, and four churches. Places
of worship between religions with other religions
close together, but they respect each other when
religious activities are held in each place of worship.
A plural society with good interaction building is
characteristic of Jrahi society. This has greatly
influenced the intercultural education process
already implemented in SDN 1 Jrahi. In addition to
the teacher maple, SDN 1 Jrahi also prepares a
religious teacher (special) consisting of six teachers,
namely: Suharto, Sukani and Hermintono (Christian
teacher), Sunarti (Buddhist teacher) and Ahmad
Baidhowi also Badar (Moslem teacher). Students of
SDN 1 Jrahi numbered 118, with details: 82 Moslem
students, 24 Buddhist students, and 12 Christian
students. All students from grades 1 to 6 get rights in
religious education, with duration of every 3 hours
(KTSP) and 4 hours (Curriculum 13). Students will
enter the respective religious space with the teacher
who has been scheduled. In addition to that every
day during Dhuhur prayer time, for students of grade
3 to 6 are given a chance to worship for 15 minutes,
for the Muslims performing prayers Dhuhur
congregation in the mosque adjacent to the school.
While the Buddhist to Paritha perform puja bhakti
and Christian get deeper al-Kitab also do'a. After
that continue instructional until 12:45 and then the
students go home.
Teachers' learning methods are diverse, looking
at the number and grade levels of the classes. As
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
222

applied by Mrs. Sunarti (Buddhist teacher), before
entering the class to observe in advance of the
interaction done among the students, for example,
which often become the communication material of
students "snack" (snack), then she when in the class
always advised students, if they have snacks to share
with their friends without distinguishing their
respective religions. The universal values taught by
Mrs. Sunarti will have an impact on students'
religious experiences in interacting with peers that
can build a tolerance to learners.
Religious learning conducted by Mrs. Sunarti is
also more to the development of student creativity
by using props, for example, religious learning
begins by showing pictures, then students are asked
to explain and make questions so that students are
more critical and understanding with what is
delivered by the teacher. As learning in 1st grade, in
understanding the students' teachings are invited to
sing, also bring props in the form of colorful folding
paper, then students are asked to make stupa from
the paper. Children are also invited to see directly
the objects of learning religion and other religions.
Here students are invited to understand the teachings
of their religion in a simple and fun, but the
substance of religion remains up to the students.
As for Mrs. Sukani (Christian teacher), the
delivery of religious materials to the students,
starting with the lecture method, then followed by
the assignment. As for how to build awareness of
mutual respect among the followers of other
religions, for example, in Ramadan asked not to eat
in any place, this is a form of respect for other
students who are Muslims. This student activity is a
form of mutual understanding that is able to deliver
a positive attitude in accepting the presence of
fellow friends of other faiths.
As for Mr. Badar (Moslem teacher), in the
process of learning bring internal awareness in
advance with internalizing of aqidah and morals. As
taught in the sources of religion that is the Qur'an
and Sunnah, which has been exemplified by the
Prophet Muhammad for his ummah, that the Prophet
was sent on this earth to complete the noble
character. In addition, in the Qur'an itself has been
explained that God created man from various tribes,
nations, and religions, nothing but to know each
other (see al-Hujurat verse 13). Dewey (1996)
argues that education is the way to a democratic
society and that democracy is capable of supporting
the growth of individuals and communities and
ensuring the rights of minorities.
5 DISCUSSION
Religious education applied in SDN 1 Jrahi is an
intercultural education using conventional approach.
This can be seen from the efforts of the school that
gives the right of students to obtain a religious
education by providing room facilities in each
religion. Here teachers have the authority to build
religious values on every student that is in
accordance with the teachings of his religion, of
course, the human values that exist in the message of
religion is always emphasized. In addition, every
day before Dhuhur, for students Islam is given the
opportunity to perform prayers in congregation in a
mosque adjacent to the location of the school. This
activity is the process of habituation in students.
While Christian students invite to pray and deepen
the Bible. Similarly, Buddhist students perform puja
bhakti.
A good cooperation between family, school, and
community in building harmony among religious
people in Jrahi can be implemented by providing
tolerance internalize from all lines. Especially the
process of religious learning in SDN 1 Jrahi, may be
able to become a provision for learners through the
socialization they get in the school environment with
the guidance of their respective religious teachers.
Intercultural education which is attributed by
SDN 1 Jrahi produces five important things: first,
the internalization of religious teachings by
prioritizing human values that must be built as
taught in religion. Second, while maintaining a
culture of togetherness in the midst of diversity
through religious learning that has been carried out
from generation to generation. Third, the SDN 1
Jrahi provides an opportunity for teachers to
creativity to contextualize the teachings with social
reality amid the diversity of students and teachers.
Fourth, internalize of universal values through the
religious experience of the interaction between
teacher-student and pupil with the students, peers.
Fifth, it deals with building mutual understanding
amongst religious people, both teachers, students,
and the society.
6 CONCLUSIONS
Education is held with the aim to provide exemplary,
build willingness, develops student creativity by
empowering all components of society through
participation in the implementation and quality
control of education service quality. Intercultural
education conducted in Jrahi Village is one example
Building Tolerant Communities through Basic Intercultural Education
223

of an educational model that is able to embrace from
various religions (Islam, Buddhism, and
Christianity) and to build religious experience for
students when interacting in school environment
either with educator and also among peers who later
able to grow inclusive and tolerant attitude to the
students.
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