ADDRESSING FATHERLESSNESS IN SCHOOLS: CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TEACHERS AT SMA ST. THOMAS 4 BINJAI

Abstract

The phenomenon of fatherlessness has become an important concern in education as it may influence students emotional, social, moral, and spiritual development. In the context of Catholic schools, the role of Catholic Religious Education teachers as pedagogical pastoral companions is essential in providing holistic support for students experiencing the absence of a father figure. However, studies examining the role of religious education teachers in addressing fatherlessness at the Catholic senior high school level remain limited. This study is needed to understand how religious education can serve as a pedagogical pastoral space to support students experiencing the loss of a father figure without generalizing their individual experiences. This research is significant because schools require sensitive and contextual support to address the diverse needs of students experiencing fatherlessness, while empirical evidence regarding the integration of pedagogical-pastoral accompaniment by Catholic Religious Education teachers remains scarce. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study design involving ten informants: one Catholic Religious Education teacher, one school principal, and eight students identified as experiencing fatherlessness. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, and were analyzed through data reduction, thematic data presentation, and conclusion drawing using source and technique triangulation. The findings reveal that teachers perform interconnected roles as educators of faith and morality, spiritual guides, Christian role models, facilitators of religious activities, and developers of contextual learning. The most significant finding indicates that accompaniment becomes more meaningful when prayer and religious activities extend beyond routine practices and are integrated with empathetic personal relationships, role modeling, moral strengthening, and school collaboration. Students’ responses to fatherlessness were heterogeneous; some experienced decreased motivation, emotional regulation difficulties, aggressive behavior, or negative self-perception, while others maintained motivation and self-confidence. This study confirms that Catholic Religious Education can function as a pedagogical-pastoral space that complements school support for students experiencing fatherlessness without viewing them as a homogeneous group.

ABSTRAK

Fenomena fatherlessness menjadi perhatian dalam dunia pendidikan karena dapat memengaruhi perkembangan emosional, sosial, moral, dan spiritual siswa. Dalam konteks sekolah Katolik, peran Guru Pendidikan Agama Katolik sebagai pendamping pedagogis pastoral menjadi penting untuk memberikan dukungan yang holistik bagi siswa yang mengalami ketiadaan figur ayah. Namun, kajian mengenai peran guru agama dalam menangani fatherlessness pada jenjang SMA Katolik masih terbatas. Kajian ini diperlukan untuk memahami bagaimana pendidikan agama dapat menjadi ruang pedagogis pastoral dalam mendukung siswa yang mengalami kehilangan figur ayah tanpa melakukan generalisasi terhadap pengalaman mereka. Penelitian ini penting karena sekolah memerlukan dukungan yang peka terhadap keragaman kebutuhan siswa dengan fatherlessness, sementara bukti empiris tentang integrasi pendampingan pedagogis-pastoral oleh Guru Pendidikan Agama Katolik pada jenjang SMA Katolik masih terbatas. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif dengan desain studi kasus dan melibatkan sepuluh informan, yaitu satu Guru Pendidikan Agama Katolik, satu kepala sekolah, dan delapan siswa yang memenuhi kriteria fatherlessness. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis melalui reduksi data, penyajian data secara tematik, dan penarikan kesimpulan dengan triangulasi sumber dan teknik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa guru menjalankan peran yang saling terhubung sebagai pendidik iman dan moral, pembimbing spiritual, teladan hidup Kristiani, fasilitator kegiatan keagamaan, serta pengembang pembelajaran kontekstual. Temuan yang paling menonjol menunjukkan bahwa pendampingan menjadi lebih bermakna ketika doa dan kegiatan keagamaan tidak berhenti sebagai rutinitas, tetapi dipadukan dengan relasi personal yang empatik, keteladanan, penguatan moral, dan kolaborasi sekolah. Respons siswa juga bersifat heterogen: sebagian mengalami penurunan motivasi, kesulitan regulasi emosi, perilaku agresif, atau persepsi diri negatif, sedangkan sebagian lain tetap termotivasi dan percaya diri. Penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa Pendidikan Agama Katolik dapat berfungsi sebagai ruang pedagogis-pastoral yang melengkapi dukungan sekolah bagi siswa yang mengalami fatherlessness tanpa menganggap mereka sebagai kelompok yang homogen.