Building Nationalist Character Through Multicultural Education
Practice in Selamat Pagi Indonesia (SPI) High School
Tuti Budirahayu, Novri Susan, Marhaeni Mega Wijayanti, Nugroho Rinaldi Pamungkas and
Syaifullah Al Ayyuby
Universitas Airlangga, Dharmawangsa Dalam, Surabaya, Indonesia
Keywords: High School, Pluralism, Multiculturalism, Moral Education, Character Building.
Abstract: This study aims to comprehend the uniqueness of a high school (SPI) that implements multicultural
education model on its learning activities. Most of high school in Indonesia attended by homogenus student
because they originated from the same area where the school located. The learning method also emphasize
theory and comprehension of general knowledge’s and give more task for its students. On contrary, SPI has
diverse student from various area in Indonesia, and most of the students come from poor families. The
learning method highlights entrepreneurship practice based on the student’s diverse skills. The aim of the
study is to understand the educational strategy that intends to develop students' character with the value of
dignity and appreciation toward diversity. The theory of moral education and multiculturalism are used to
comprehend the multicultural education practice in this school. The research method used is descriptive-
qualitative with case study. This study took place in Batu-Malang, Jawa Timur. Data obtained from students
with diverse ethnicity, religion, and rural background, headmaster, and several teachers who had adequate
information about school management. The results of this study indicate that the values of diversity,
community, and tolerance continuously infused.
1 INTRODUCTION
This study was initiated based on awareness of the
shifting tendency in Indonesian people which choose
radicalism to solve problem related to their religious
or group conflict. Radicalism, presumably, was
doctrinized to students since they were in high
school. This study intends to seek for education
model which embedded the value of tolerance and
multiculturalism which could reduce the risk of
disintegration due to radicalism.
Previous study about radicalism and intolerance
has been conducted by Ahnaf (2012). He shows that
the early indication of radicalism had actually
formed since students received education in highs
school level. Radicalism idea was spreaded from
Islamic extracullicular activities which strengthen by
the alumni preaches about radical perspectives in
Islam. Study from Maarif Institute (2016) also
revealed that the indication of radicalism in
Indonesian high school students was in a worrying
level. The survey shows that 40.82 of students were
willing to attack another group which insulted Islam,
while 12.24 percent said no.
Based on the findings, it is essential to raise a
question about the learning method in many high
school in Indonesia, whether school has successful
to produce an intelligent and critical student who are
able to solve problems when the nation of Indonesia
experienced disintegration, or has it been creating
intolerant and radical young generation? The reality
of education in Indonesia shows that learning
activities are oriented to achieve curriculum target
and theoretical comprehension instead of building
emotional intelligence to student. Sesmiarni (2015)
argued that Indonesian students were required to
learn many disciplines without further opportunity to
analyze and having critical thought about particular
issues. Consequently, student was not able to give a
positive respond in many social problems in
Indonesia. One approach to overcome the problem
of intolerance and radicalism in many education
institutions in Indonesia is by developing a model of
education with orientation to morality enhancement
and the development of democratic value which
Budirahayu, T., Susan, N., Wijayanti, M., Pamungkas, N. and Ayyuby, S.
Building Nationalist Character Through Multicultural Education Practice in Selamat Pagi Indonesia (SPI) High School.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 2, pages 401-405
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
401

suitable with the national identity. The study from
Sesmiarni (2015) also shows that such education
model could accomplished by embedding value
which could form student personality based on
ethical and moral taught from the family, school,
and society. Nevertheless, this study is attempted to
trace humanist education model based on pluralism
and multiculturalism values.
Moral and character education is one approach to
overcome many problems in society such as
violence, criminality, and bad influence or
radicalism in student. Study from Bebeau et al.
(1998) stated that American people are changing due
to ideology and behaviour shift, and these conditions
produce finding about the importance of highlight on
moral education. They show that American youth
issues like violence, drug abuse, and unwanted
pregnancy are not the only problems. More acute
problems also occurred on education and
development for teenagers, so it is necessary to
develop a model of moral education for whole
component of society. There are four components to
illustrate moral development, namely: moral
sensitivity, moral assessment, moral motivation and
moral characterization. Those four components
should be continuously embraced. Discussion about
moral education in Sociology was initiated by
Durkheim (1973). Durkheim’s thinking about moral
education is closely related to the role of education
which have social function as the cultivator of the
value of discipline, social affiliation, and autonomy.
Given the background, authors conducted a
research in an education Institute which embraces
pluralism in school, whose education practice has set
as a model to develop multiculturalism values in
education institute. The research problem in this
study are: (1) How is the academic atmosphere built
in school so that the values of multiculturalism are
understood by the students? (2) How does school
manage the academic atmosphere and develop
students' characters through multicultural education?
2 METHODS
This study applied descriptive-qualitative method
with case study. Research design is based on
qualitative strategy where primary data gathered
through in depth interview and non-participatory
observation. Research setting is daily activities of
SPI student in school and in dormitory. The first
subject of this research is the headmaster who
provided many substantial information about the
school. Aside of the headmaster, two teachers and an
academic staff who guarded the school were also
listed as research subject. Research subject from
student consist of six students chosen from every
grade and two alumni’s who work at tourism
business division. Students and alumni’s chosen for
their diversity in religion, culture, background
origin, and language spoken. Total amount of the
informant were 12 persons. The amount of students
registered in the school are 174. Data analyzed by
reduction and categorization for classification based
on the themes of this research.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Compare to other high schools in Indonesia, SPI is a
very distinct school. Firstly, this school was
established based on the vision and mission which
embrace pluralism, stated as following: (1) To
increase faith to God according to each student's
belief; (2) To increase humanity, solidarity,
democracy, and social justice in daily activities; (3)
To create creative and productive students based on
student's skill. Secondly, this school also carries
social mission by providing education at no cost.
The academic culture is designed based on
humanity, solidarity, and social justice.
Learning strategy applied in school is innovative
because its distinction compares to conventional
education model which applied in most schools in
Indonesia. It is regarded as innovative because
students not only learn in class, but they also have
outdoor learning activities. Their learning activity is
not limited in the classroom, but they could have a
class session in the school fields. The learning
material is developed by teachers according to
students' need. This experience is considered more
fun for students because they receive lesson which
directly related to tourism business practice
managed by school. Innovative education model
attracted students’ attention to involve in learning
activities appears as a promising strategy to build
inclusiveness for student from different
environment. In accordance with research from
Ahmad and Szpara (2003), student adaptation in
United States of America (US) performed in various
ways. Getting education in secular school helps
Muslim immigrant in US to adapt and accept
multiculturalism within American environment.
Based on school vision and mission, teachers
treat students equally regardless their religion,
belief, and ethnic. As an effort to maintain harmony
in such diversity, teachers attempt to preserve
synergy between students by asking them to make
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
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group project which consists of students from
various backgrounds in the beginning of their first
academic year. Students are required to work on
group projects whose formation is continuously
changing to avoid boredom and students could
mingle in the community without bringing ethnic,
religion, or language background.
Learning method which blends students from
various culture, religion and language apparently is
supported by students. For example, Moesa, a
student from Central Borneo, and Monalisa, a
student from Papua, tell their learning process in the
school. Moesa felt comfortable in the school because
he has a better chance to know his friend from
different areas in Indonesia. Monalisa who felt lucky
for being able to learn many languages from various
regions in Indonesia. Study from Stefanek et al.
(2015) shows similar things about the experience of
SPI students. In their research about individual and
contextual prediction about friendship preference
reveals that in order to develop intercultural
friendship between students, acculturation related to
their cultural affiliation need is necessary.
However, several students felt hesitant and afraid
to be a part of the school community, especially
students originated from outside Java. The fear came
from their lack of experience about living in Java.
Three aspects that felt by students from outside Java
could be listed as follows: (1) living environment
difference; (2) language difference; (3) weather
situation. They also lack confidence because they
perceive education in Java is far better than
education system in their origin place. The same
situation as a minority experienced by Asian
students who came for US for the first time and had
to go to school. Based on the research by Ngo
(2010) those Asian students felt alleniated and
perceive themselves as outsider in their new
community. To decrease the marginalized feeling,
the school emphasize the feeling of belonging and
pride to culture through daily activities in school. In
SPI, the use of Indonesian language in students'
daily activities is a way to acknowledge the pride as
an Indonesian and the brotherhood as Citizen of
Indonesia. Indonesian language in fact could
overcome the conflict happened between students
from different ethnicity, religion and language.
School also build prayer house for all religion so the
feeling of tolerance between student could be
developed.
The previous discussions had described the
development of the academic atmosphere in school
which had designed by school institution. Therefore,
this section seeks to explain information related to
action taken by the teacher to manage and preserve
the academic atmosphere to build students with
pluralism character. The tolerant attitude should be
maintained in school by respecting students with
different religion, ethnicity, culture, and language.
Teachers manage the atmosphere by designing a
study plan for students to act tolerant in performing
their daily activities.
One method pursued by the school in
implementing a tolerant and respectful way of life
for students is by assigning senior to accompany
new students in school. The companion function
includes accompanying new student to interact with
school community from a different background.
Senior companion also supervises new student in
performing their religious practice according to their
belief. Companion may give sanction to a student
who dismisses religious practice, proved by their
presence mark in the prayer room. A student who
skips prayers will receive a penalty in several forms
such as cleaning toilet or lap running in the school
yard.
Tolerance towards different belief has been
practiced by students in this school. It is shown by
student openness toward friend with different belief
prayer. Therefore, every student could learn and
understand various prayers practices performed by
students with different religions. The tolerant action
also reflected on a continuous obligation to perform
religious practice for students. In a commemoration
day of a religion, students with different religion are
required to act respectful, such as in Ramadhan, Eid
Mubarak, Christmas, and much more. Growing
tolerance between student from diverse cultural and
religion background is never a simple thing.
Research by Johnson (2011) about the relation
between multicultural education and racism in
student shows that the bigger student experienced
multicultural education, the lesser their racism
action. This study also covers the program and
curriculum of multicultural education in the US
which closely related to ethnical and cultural
diversity.
Managing diversity in school also pursued in
school boarding house, where students are obliged to
mingle with another student regardless their origin,
ethnicity, and religion. The school implemented the
method of fair and equal treatment for all students to
build a student character who accustomed with the
difference in custom, culture, or religion. Character
building started when students first enrolled in
school by living together in boarding house. The
boarding house is a facility for students to interact
with the other who previously hold different
Building Nationalist Character Through Multicultural Education Practice in Selamat Pagi Indonesia (SPI) High School
403

customs, culture or religion. The school will
anticipate any possible friction in an educative way
such as supervised learning and praying activities
during their stay in the boarding house. Any
violation in boarding school will receive sanction,
and senior companion should warn students who
violate the rules. Study from White (2004) about
boarding school in Australia reveals that student
who had ever experienced living together in the
dormitory are more likely to able to receive new
culture, including diversity brought by their friends
from different background. White also shows that
boarding school is a determinant factor in
encouraging student self-dependent to embrace
diversity and cultural pluralism.
School also develops PAKSA principle, an
acronym stands for Pray, Attitude, Knowledge,
Skill, and Action; to build tolerant student character.
Through PAKSA, students are expected to be
obedient in worshipping God (Pray), behave
according to the norm (attitude), having proper
knowledge (knowledge), having an adequate skill
(skill), and know the right thing to do (action). In
PAKSA, student's attitude is scored in which its
accumulation could determine how they will pass to
the next grade or how they could graduate from
school.
Based on the findings, this research ignites
further discussion about multicultural education.
Firstly, is about the role of school and its academic
atmosphere as a socialization agent of pluralism and
multiculturalism value promotion. Through those
values, students integrated in a common
understanding about the prevailing moral system.
Macionis (2008) in his research about the function
of school describe that school is responsible to
spread cultural norms and value, including
developing cultural innovation to embrace diversity
and nation unity. The concept of moral education by
Durkheim provide guidance to teacher to raise the
student’s awareness about the importance of self-
consciousness and collective consciousness, where
the collaboration of both created a stable
community. Durkheim explains that students in
school are given knowledge about live in a society
where complex of idea and sentiments became
intellectual and moral framework distinctive of the
entire group (Ballantine and Spade, 2008). Based on
Durkheim thought the role of the school becomes
very important, especially as an agent that teaches
values that shapes the students ‘character. Winter
(2012) studied about the importance of moral
education as one effort to increase student
participation in education and encouraging the
growth of democracy and nationalism to students.
Through multicultural education the value of
multiculturalism become essential to deliver to
students, especially to those who live in an area with
high polarization and differentiation. Tilaar (2003)
stated that multiculturalism is vital for identity
development of groups in society for a state. A
civilized nation is a nation which could maintain
their diversity instead of excluding the minority or
upholding a dominant sub-ethnic. Multicultural
education contains important universal values, such
as (1) social justice; (2) strengthening democratic
value; and (3) recognition of human rights (Tilaar
2003). In upholding multicultural values, every
school community should acknowledge the
existence of the group, cultural group, or diverse
identity of society, acknowledge equality in a
various ethnic group, respect different norms,
tradition, the social structure which applied
differently in different societies and presenting local
wisdom.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Based on the findings and discussion in the previous
chapter, it can be concluded that: (1) academic
atmosphere in school applied multiculturalism
values based on humanity, fraternity, and social
justice. Based on those values, students will be able
to comprehend and apply moral value to preserve
social unity. (2) To maintain academic atmosphere
and build students' character who understand the
multiculturalism values, school applies different
strategy: (a) design a curriculum and fun learning
method to integrate students through formation of
project group consists of heterogeneous background;
(b) continuously develop tolerance feeling between
students by respecting students' religious belief and
using Indonesia language in daily activities in
school; (c) establish a boarding house for students
with the main goal is to blend students from various
cultural, ethnicity, religious, or language
background, and (d) embedding the value of
respecting other according to the principle of
PAKSA (pray, attitude, knowledge, skill, action).
The finding of this study might not be able to
answer the problems of radicalism which
experienced by students in religion-based school and
might also not be able to explain how to exclusively
impose problems in different school because the
research was conducted in only one location.
Another limitation of this study is the method
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
404

choose to describe academic atmosphere and
interaction of school communities, the finding is not
able to present a comprehensive data such as about
the advantages and disadvantages of learning
program which has been developed by the school.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Researchers would like to thank Faculty of Social
and Political Sciences, Universitas Airlangga for the
research opportunity and research fund through 2017
research grant until the completion of the research.
Researchers also feel grateful for all elements of SPI
Senior High School for giving the valuable
information for the research.
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