POLICY ANALYSIS OF ARABIC–ENGLISH LANGUAGE HABITUATION: A CASE STUDY AT THE REGIONAL OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS, NORTH SUMATERA
Keywords:
Arabic education, bilingual competence , English habituation, language policy, madrasahAbstract
The policy of Arabic–English language habituation in madrasahs under the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of North Sumatra emerged as a strategic response to the low motivation and practical use of both languages among students. Despite Arabic and English being central to religious literacy and global competitiveness, they are often perceived as difficult and irrelevant to daily life. Therefore, this study addresses the policy gap by examining how the regional office formulates, implements, and evaluates language habituation programs to enhance students’ linguistic competence and character development. This research employed a qualitative case study design involving officials from the Regional Office, madrasah heads, Arabic and English teachers, and students as key informants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations of language habituation activities, and documentation analysis. The Miles and Huberman interactive model was used for data analysis, while validity was ensured through source and method triangulation and member checking. The findings revealed that 76% of state madrasahs received official policy circulars, but only 58% developed written work plans. Structured activities such as Language Day and morning conversations increased students’ motivation and communication skills. Supporting factors included institutional backing and student enthusiasm, while inhibiting factors involved limited teacher competence and infrastructure. Linguistic proficiency scores improved by an average of 12 points, with 82% of students showing greater confidence and 78% higher motivation. The policy effectively strengthened bilingual culture and character formation in madrasahs. However, sustainability requires enhanced teacher training, equitable resource distribution, and systematic evaluation mechanisms to align local implementation with national educational goals in Arabic and world language education.
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