Pendidikan Agama Hindu sebagai Jalan Pembentukan Manusia Berkarakter: Refleksi atas Krisis Moral Generasi Muda

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the role of Hindu Religious Education (HRE) in shaping youth character, reflecting on moral crises, and identifying supporting factors and implementation challenges. This qualitative study identifies that HRE effectively instills multidimensional character values such as tolerance, discipline, responsibility, and integrity, supported by the integration of spiritual, moral, ethical, social, and environmental aspects through the Tri Hita Karana concept. HRE proved to enhance students' integrity and morality by strengthening commitment to honesty, justice, and compassion. Furthermore, HRE develops cooperative skills, religious literacy, and musicality, and forms strong moral identities in students, guiding them in making ethical choices and resisting negative pressures. Positive behavioral transformations, increased empathy, honesty, and respect were also indicators of success. Supporting factors include the teacher's role as a moral exemplar, holistic learning models, Pasraman strategies, family guidance, integration of local wisdom, digital innovation, and structured institutional management. Key obstacles include limited resources, awareness gaps among stakeholders, suboptimal external support, excessive focus on academics, unfavorable lecturer-student ratios, and challenges in online teaching quality. This study expands the understanding of Hindu Religious Education as a holistic character-building mechanism, highlighting the importance of synergy among religious values, local wisdom, and technology. The implications emphasize the need for increased external support, innovative curriculum development, and optimization of the teacher's role to strengthen HRE as a moral bulwark for the younger generation.