The Implementation of Worship Habituation in Developing Students’ Religious Character at SMP Negeri 5 Brebes

Religious character education has become an important concern in Indonesian schools, particularly in response to students’ declining discipline, spiritual awareness, and moral behavior in daily life. Although worship habituation is widely practiced in schools, its systematic implementation and contribution to students’ religious character in public junior secondary schools remain underexplored. This study aimed to examine the implementation of worship habituation in developing students’ religious character at SMP Negeri 5 Brebes. The study employed a descriptive qualitative design involving the school principal, Islamic Religious Education teachers, and students as research informants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, while data analysis was conducted using an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing, and verification. Source and method triangulation were used to ensure data trustworthiness. The findings showed that worship habituation was implemented through structured and continuous religious activities, including congregational prayer, Qur’an recitation before lessons, collective prayers, and special religious programs. Daily activities generated higher student participation than weekly or monthly activities. The program contributed positively to students’ religious character, particularly in worship discipline, responsibility, politeness, spiritual awareness, and religious social behavior. However, some students still showed situational compliance, indicating that value internalization requires stronger reflection, supervision, and collaboration between school and family. The study implies that worship habituation can serve as an effective and sustainable strategy for strengthening religious character education in public schools when supported by teacher role modelling, consistent school culture, and meaningful religious guidance.