Reconstructing Kyai Leadership in Strengthening the Quality of Islamic Boarding Schools Amid Digital Disruption

Abstract

The rapid development of information technology in the era of digital disruption has brought significant changes to various sectors of life, including the Islamic boarding school education system. Pesantren, as traditional Islamic educational institutions, face the challenge of maintaining Islamic values while simultaneously adapting to the advancement of digital technology. In this context, the leadership of the kyai plays a strategic role in determining the direction of pesantren development and strengthening the quality of education. This study aims to analyze the reconstruction of kyai leadership in improving the quality of pesantren amid digital disruption. This research employs a qualitative approach using a library research method through the analysis of various scholarly literatures relevant to pesantren leadership, the quality of Islamic education, and digital transformation in education. The data were obtained from academic books, national and international journal articles, and other scientific documents, which were analyzed using content analysis techniques. The findings indicate that the reconstruction of kyai leadership is necessary to respond to the challenges of the digital era by integrating traditional pesantren leadership values with modern leadership principles that are adaptive to technology. The Digital Kyai Leadership model, which encompasses spiritual, transformational, digital, and collaborative leadership dimensions, represents a relevant approach to strengthening the quality of pesantren in the digital era. Therefore, visionary and innovative kyai leadership can become a key factor in maintaining the existence and educational quality of pesantren amid the dynamics of contemporary change.