Professional Development of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Teachers as A Pillar of Global Islamic Education Sustainability

Abstract

Professional development in madrasah ibtidaiyah has become a strategic necessity for improving the quality of Islamic education and shaping human resources that are adaptive to the changing times. Madrasah teachers not only serve as educators and administrative managers but also as moral and spiritual mentors who shape students’ character from an early age. In the context of globalization and digitalization, mastery of pedagogical, professional, social, and personal competencies is crucial for madrasah to remain competitive and relevant. This study aims to examine the urgency, strategies, models, as well as the challenges and opportunities in professional development within madrasah ibtidaiyah. The research method employed is the Systematic Literature Review (SLR), which involves analyzing various scholarly sources such as journal articles, books, and research reports relevant to the topic of professional development among madrasah educators.

The findings indicate that (1) professional development holds high urgency as a prerequisite for improving the quality of Islamic education; (2) professional development functions as a sustainability strategy for madrasah in facing global changes; (3) professional development models include thematic training, pedagogical workshops, mentoring, learning communities, certification, and external partnerships; and (4) challenges include limited resources and suboptimal learning culture, but there are also opportunities through policy support, networking, and digital technology. In conclusion, systematic, collaborative, and continuous professional development is the key to building madrasah ibtidaiyah that are adaptive, innovative, and of high quality.