Multicultural Islamic Religious Education in The Society 5.0 Era: Building Religious Tolerance in Secondary Schools in South Sumatra

Abstract

This study analyzes the implementation of multicultural Islamic Religious Education (PAI) in the Society 5.0 era and its role in building religious tolerance among secondary school students in South Sumatra, Indonesia. This qualitative study employed participatory observation, in-depth interviews with teachers and students, documentation analysis, and student perception surveys. Data analysis used an interactive model with triangulation for validity. The study reveals four key findings: (1) PAI learning integrates multicultural values emphasizing justice, brotherhood, and respect for differences; (2) tolerance values are internalized through dialogical-reflective approaches showing positive student perceptions; (3) digital technology is utilized though not optimally; (4) teachers serve as facilitators and role models. Challenges include limited digital infrastructure and varying teacher competence. This contextual study limited to South Sumatra restricts generalizability. However, it provides important implications for continuous teacher training in multicultural pedagogy and digital technology, improved digital infrastructure, and ongoing dialogue between schools, parents, and communities. This research contributes by positioning Society 5.0 as a socio-humanitarian context emphasizing balance between civilizational progress and human values. It demonstrates that multicultural PAI serves as a strategic instrument in forming social consciousness and peaceful coexistence attitudes, enriching the theoretical framework of multicultural Islamic education and strengthening religious moderation discourse in Indonesia's education system.