Islamic Education Curriculum Management and Youth Employability in Bangladesh: A Critical Policy Analysis

Muhammad Nur Hadi (Universitas Yudharta Pasuruan, Indonesia)
Khoirul Anwar (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia)
Amang Fathurrohman (Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Pasuruan, Indonesia)
Endang Tyasmaning (Institut Agama Islam Sunan Kalijogo Malang, Indonesia)
Khimmataliev Dustnazar Omonovich (Chirchik State Pedagogical University, Uzbekistan)

Management of Education: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2026): Management of Education: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam

This study examines the nexus between Islamic education curriculum policy and youth employability in Bangladesh amidst the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Utilizing a qualitative critical policy analysis, the research scrutinizes primary documents, including the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2021 and the Revised Syllabus for Alim Examination 2025. The analysis is theoretically grounded in Ball’s Policy Cycle and Bernstein’s Theory of Recontextualization to explore how religious moral formation is translated into market-ready skills. Findings reveal a significant "policy gap" where Madrasah curriculum remains focused on academic-religious content, marginalizing essential soft skills, English proficiency, and digital literacy key drivers of the modern labor market. The study also identifies fragmented governance between the education and labor sectors as a barrier to employability. It concludes that a faith-sensitive, skills-based curriculum reform is imperative to bridge the gap between religious education and youth employment, offering a strategic model for similar contexts in the Global South.