A Policy Implementation Model of the Seven Habits of the Great Indonesian Child in Cultivating a Character-Based School Culture in Secondary Schools

Abstrak

This study examines the implementation of the Seven Habits of the Great Indonesian Child model as a character education policy within Indonesian secondary schools and analyzes its contribution to cultivating a character-based school culture. Using a qualitative multiple-case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, school observations, and document analysis involving principals, teachers, counselors, and students. The findings reveal that the implementation of the Seven Habits model is shaped by a dynamic intersection of leadership vision, teacher agency, structural routines, and contextual cultural forces. Schools with strong leadership commitment, structured reinforcement mechanisms, and collaborative teacher practices demonstrated deeper internalization of values and more consistent cultural transformation. Conversely, limited teacher capacity, competing academic demands, and insufficient monitoring systems hindered fidelity and continuity of implementation. The study advances theoretical discussions on policy implementation by highlighting how value-based educational policies are negotiated at the street level and embedded into school culture through relational and institutional processes. Practically, the results underscore the need for clear program structures, ongoing capacity building, and integrated monitoring to strengthen character education delivery in schools. The study recommends enhancing student leadership roles, institutionalizing reflective teacher collaboration, and conducting longitudinal research to evaluate long-term cultural impacts