Implementation of Disciplinary Values Through the Pencak Silat Extracurricular Program in Elementary Schools: A Descriptive Qualitative Study

Background & objective: Character education in elementary schools requires learning environments in which disciplinary values can be practiced through authentic social and behavioural experiences. This study examined how disciplinary values were enacted, reinforced, and contextualized through the compulsory Pagar Nusa Pencak Silat extracurricular program at SD Khadijah Wonorejo, Surabaya, Indonesia. The study also explored additional character-related behaviours and contextual factors supporting the continuity of disciplinary practices. Materials & Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was employed involving 67 participants, comprising 62 elementary-school students, one school principal, two extracurricular teachers, and two Pagar Nusa coaches. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentary evidence. Student records included descriptive ratings on a 1–5 scale covering three disciplinary dimensions and nine additional character-related indicators. Qualitative data were analyzed iteratively through data reduction, coding, categorization, cross-source comparison, and verification following the Miles and Huberman interactive model. Descriptive statistics were used only to summarize the student-level ratings using means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages. Results: Three interconnected dimensions of disciplinary practice emerged: time discipline, behavioural discipline, and training discipline. Behavioural discipline showed the highest descriptive rating (M = 4.08, SD = 0.68), followed by training discipline (M = 3.85, SD = 0.70) and time discipline (M = 3.76, SD = 0.67). Ratings of 4–5 were recorded for 80.6%, 67.7%, and 62.9% of students, respectively. Among additional character-related behaviours, tolerance (M = 4.42), social care (M = 4.34), and hard work (M = 4.19) received the highest descriptive ratings. Conclusions: The findings indicate that Pagar Nusa functioned as a culturally embedded pedagogical context in which disciplinary behaviours were practiced through routines, rule adherence, repeated training, social interaction, and structured responsibility. The study contributes an implementation-oriented perspective to international research by illustrating how martial arts-based extracurricular education can support the enactment and reinforcement of discipline through interconnected school, coaching, and family contexts. The findings do not establish causal effects or long-term character internalization.