<![CDATA[General Background Islamic boarding schools serve an essential role in integrating religious education, moral character formation, and vocational skills development within modern education systems. Specific Background SMK Al Ikhlas Pasuruan relies on its central kyai figure as a spiritual leader and primary symbol of public trust to drive institutional enrollment. Knowledge Gap However, the empirical consequences of losing a central leadership figure on institutional reputation, public confidence, and student enrollment stability remain insufficiently quantified in vocational boarding education. Aims This study quantifies the relationship between the central kyai figure and student enrollment through simple linear regression analysis using SPSS 25. Results Findings demonstrate that the kyai figure significantly drives student enrollment, evidenced by a calculated t-value of 6.548 exceeding the critical t-table threshold of 1.699 with a 0.000 significance level. Novelty The novel insight highlights how central religious leadership authority directly stabilizes institutional viability and student recruitment in Islamic vocational institutions. Implications Educational managers must transform teaching staff into active recruitment agents to sustain institutional sustainability during leadership transitions. Key Findings Highlights Statistical regression confirms central religious leadership significantly determines vocational student enrollment rates. Absence of the primary leadership figure reduces institutional image and diminishes public enrollment confidence. Teacher role transformation into recruitment agency mitigates leadership transition challenges and enrollment declines. Keywords : Kyai Figure, Student Enrollment, Vocational School, Boarding Institution, Leadership Transition]]>
