Democratic Participation in Islamic Religious Education and Interfaith Courtesy in an Indonesian Elementary School

Abstract

Religiously diverse elementary schools provide opportunities to practice democratic values through classroom instruction and shared activities. Yet evidence remains limited on how participation in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) lessons differs from interfaith courtesy in wider school life. This study aims to examine these practices and develop a context-sensitive account of their connection at Public Elementary School 1 of Taman Sari, Indonesia. The research employed a qualitative single-site case-study design involving purposively selected school leaders, teachers, and pupils. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews, and school documents, and analyzed using data condensation, thematic displays, and conclusion drawing. The findings identified four recurring democratic values: freedom of expression, equality of opportunity, tolerance of differences, and fairness. Classroom observations documented teachers inviting questions, encouraging pupils to express views, and providing opportunities to participate in PAI lessons. Interview accounts described cultural presentations, interfaith greetings, and respect for religious observances during shared school activities. These findings distinguish observed classroom participation from reported interfaith courtesy without establishing causal relationships or changes in pupils’ attitudes. The study contributes a provisional Democratic Religious Learning framework linking participatory instruction and inclusive school routines, with implications for designing and documenting integrated values education in religiously diverse elementary schools.