An Analysis of the Implementation of the Character Education Strengthening Policy in Elementary Schools

Abstract

This study analyzed the implementation of Indonesia’s Character Education Strengthening Policy in elementary schools, focusing on four interrelated dimensions: communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, the research examined how schools in Kretek Subdistrict, Bantul Regency, operationalized the policy through daily practices and institutional mechanisms. The findings revealed that while the policy is normatively strong and conceptually comprehensive, its realization remains inconsistent due to fragmented communication, limited human and material resources, procedural educator dispositions, and weak bureaucratic structures. Despite these challenges, schools demonstrated growing awareness of character education as an integral aspect of moral and civic formation. The study contributes a cyclical operational model—diagnose–act–reflect–recalibrate that integrates pedagogical reform, participatory communication, and resource alignment as drivers of sustainable implementation. Theoretically, it advances understanding of policy coherence in moral education, while practically, it offers an adaptive framework for continuous improvement through measurable standards, localized innovation, and collective reflection.