Developing a Leadership Content Knowledge Model for Madrasah Principals to Strengthen the Madrasah Literacy Movement

Mahrus Mahrus (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang)
Agus Maimun (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang)
Indah Aminatuz Zuhriyah (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang)
Zubdatul Itqon (STAI Nahdlatul Ulama Malang)

Mudir : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan
Vol. 8 No. 2 (2026): Mudir: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan

The Madrasah Literacy Movement (MLM) is a strategic initiative designed to foster literacy culture, enhance students' critical thinking skills, and improve the quality of learning in Islamic schools. However, previous studies indicate that the success of the movement largely depends on the leadership capacity of madrasah principals. Existing research has predominantly examined transformational, instructional, and distributed leadership, while limited attention has been given to Leadership Content Knowledge (LCK) as a knowledge-based leadership framework for strengthening the Madrasah Literacy Movement. This study aims to develop a Leadership Content Knowledge model for madrasah principals to strengthen the Madrasah Literacy Movement. Employing a qualitative multi-case study design, the research was conducted at MA Almaarif Singosari, Malang Regency, and MA Muhammadiyah 1 Malang City. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations, and document analysis involving principals, vice principals, literacy team coordinators, teachers, and institutional documents. Data were analyzed using within-case and cross-case analysis through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, while credibility was established through source, technique, and time triangulation. The findings reveal that madrasah principals' Leadership Content Knowledge is developed through the integration of leadership, pedagogical, curricular, organizational, and literacy knowledge, which is operationalized in strategic policy-making, teacher capacity building, literacy culture development, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous evaluation. This study proposes a Leadership Content Knowledge Model for Madrasah Principals that explains the dynamic relationship between knowledge-based leadership competencies, implementation processes, and the strengthening of the Madrasah Literacy Movement. The proposed model extends the theoretical discourse on Leadership Content Knowledge within the context of Islamic education while offering practical implications for strengthening educational leadership in madrasahs.