Cultural Governance of Religious Education in Public Schools: How Pedagogical Innovation Shapes Students’ Spiritual and Emotional Intelligence

Purpose: This study examines how religious education in public schools operates not merely as a pedagogical practice but as a form of cultural governance that shapes students’ spiritual and emotional intelligence. Rather than treating religious instruction as a curricular subject alone, the research investigates how institutional routines, school culture, and informal religious practices collectively function as governance mechanisms that influence students’ character formation. The study aims to reposition religious education within broader debates on institutional governance, culture, and administrative practice in public education systems. Method: Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on in-depth interviews with teachers and school administrators, classroom and extracurricular observations, and document analysis of school programs and policies. Data were analyzed through thematic coding to identify patterns linking pedagogical innovation, institutional culture, and governance practices. This approach allows for an interpretive understanding of how formal rules and informal norms interact in shaping students’ spiritual and emotional development. Findings: The findings reveal that religious education in public schools functions as a hybrid governance system, combining formal administrative arrangements with culturally embedded practices. Pedagogical innovations, such as contextual religious activities and value-based routines, are shown to foster students’ emotional regulation, empathy, and spiritual awareness. These outcomes are not produced by curriculum content alone but by the consistent alignment between institutional culture, teacher agency, and informal governance mechanisms within the school environment. Significance: This study contributes to the literature by introducing cultural governance as an analytical lens for understanding religious education in public institutions. It extends governance scholarship beyond legal and administrative compliance toward everyday cultural practices that shape educational outcomes. The findings offer theoretical and practical insights for policymakers and educators seeking to integrate character education within public schooling while respecting institutional diversity and cultural context.