Manajemen Kewirausahaan Pesantren dalam Pembiayaan Pendidikan Islam: Analisis Kesenjangan antara Potensi dan Realisasi

Abstract

This study examines entrepreneurial management in Islamic boarding schools as a strategy for financing Islamic education by analyzing the gap between existing economic potential and its actual contribution to education funding. Empirically, Islamic boarding schools possess diverse entrepreneurial resources derived from internal assets, social networks, and institutional capital. However, in practice, education financing remains dominated by conventional and routine sources, particularly student tuition fees. This research employed a qualitative approach with a case study design conducted at Miftahul Ulum Besuki Islamic Boarding School. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving key informants, including the head of the boarding school, the treasurer, and alumni. Data analysis followed the Miles and Huberman interactive model, encompassing data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal three main issues: the dominance of student tuition fees as the primary source of education financing, the limited and incidental contribution of boarding school entrepreneurial activities, and the presence of an entrepreneurial managerial gap characterized by weak strategic planning, an unclear institutional structure, and limited managerial competence. These findings indicate that the core challenge in Islamic boarding school education financing lies not in the absence of entrepreneurial potential, but in insufficient managerial capacity to optimize that potential. This study highlights the need for strengthening entrepreneurial management in a planned, integrated, and sustainable manner to achieve financial independence in Islamic education and to serve as a reference for boarding school managers and policymakers.