REALISING A GENERATION OF NOBLE CHARACTER DURING THE PANDEMIC

As a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, social restriction policies emerged in the education system. Online learning is considered less efficient because of many obstacles in its implementation. One reason is the limited internet connection in a number of regions in Indonesia. This also affects the monitoring of students' akhlakul karimah (good character), because of the lack of face-to-face meetings between teachers and students. As a result, teachers find it difficult to supervise their students' character. The education system concerning akhlakul karimah needs special attention. If education is not grounded in akhlakul karimah education, moral decline will occur among students in Indonesia.

Degradation or decline of morals is a phenomenon that occurs in the morality or character of a person or group. Currently, in Indonesia students' morals are experiencing a high level of degradation. The high degradation of students' morals is caused by several factors, among them the influence of foreign culture (westernisation), the low level of religious education, the lack of socialisation by community social institutions, free association, the lack of parental supervision and attention, and low levels of education. All these factors are forms of social inequality.

Social inequality is a condition in which imbalance or injustice is formed as a result of differences and social stratification in society. Meanwhile, students' moral degradation is a consequence or impact of the inequality that occurs in all parts of society. Many students do not receive parental attention because of broken homes, have no morals or manners and so tend to do things that violate religious and state rules. This differs from students who receive attention from their parents, whose ethics and manners tend to conform to prevailing norms.

Students certainly need parents as a place to neutralise anger and a place to pour out their hearts when facing problems. Besides that, learning at school is also important for students to equip themselves with knowledge so that they become civilised people. It is regrettable that in Indonesia the level of learning is still very low and not comprehensive; moreover, during this pandemic the level of education in Indonesia needs special attention because there are many challenges and obstacles that must be faced.

Therefore, through this akhlakul karimah education, it is hoped that the quality of students can be improved in all aspects, thereby minimising and reducing the causes of various character problems in education. There are several ways to form akhlakul karimah in students' souls: first, through role modelling (Qudwah, uswah), where parents and teachers habitually set examples of good behaviour. Second, through ta’lim (teaching). For example, teaching empathy together with discipline. Third, habituation (ta’wid). Training children or students in commendable deeds that can shape their personality. For example, children are accustomed to praying before and after sleeping. Fourth, giving motivation (Targhib/reward, motivation) and finally, giving warnings and legal sanctions (Tarhib/punishment, warning).

With akhlakul karimah education and academic education implemented side by side, students will not only be academically bright but will also have good morals and character. In this way, cases of students' moral degradation in Indonesia will gradually be eroded and slowly disappear by themselves. As a result, a learning system will be formed that is orderly, mutually respectful and peaceful, without having to fear cases of moral degradation in the school environment.

Newspaper: Mata Banua

E-paper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OYMRpEBuVvKERwI90sVtnQu0-NQ8XLuh/view?usp=drivesdk