Prospective primary teachers’ perceptions of military-style boarding education for disruptive students: Exploring support, concerns, and pedagogical alternatives

This study explores prospective primary school teachers’ perceptions of military-style boarding education programs for students exhibiting disruptive behaviors. Such programs, recently introduced in Indonesia, aim to provide structured discipline, religious activities, and character education in a quasi-military setting. While proponents view this model as a corrective and rehabilitative strategy, critics highlight potential violations of children’s rights and ethical concerns. The study employed a quantitative, non-experimental survey design involving 435 prospective teachers from a public university in West Java. Participants responded to an 18-item instrument measuring three dimensions: perceived support for the model, ethical concerns, and preference for alternative pedagogical approaches. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis H, and multiple regression analyses. Findings revealed a generally high level of support for the military-style model, moderate ethical concern, and significant preference for non-militaristic alternatives such as counseling and inclusive education. A significant negative correlation was found between concern and support, and concern emerged as a significant predictor in regression analysis. These results underscore the importance of addressing ethical reasoning in teacher education programs. Future educators must be equipped to critically evaluate controversial disciplinary policies in light of pedagogical, psychological, and rights-based considerations.

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