EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Vol.
7, 1 (January-June, 2.
, pp.
ISSN: 2721-1150.
EISSN: 2721-1169.
DOI: 10.
62775/edukasia.
A Comparative Multisite Study of Guidance and Counseling Management Planning to Enhance Career Decision Self-Efficacy among Santri in Islamic Boarding Schools Ira Wirtati1.
Mesiono1.
Abdurrahman1 Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara.
Indonesia.
irawirtati@uinsu.
ARTICLE INFO
Keywords:
Counseling Management.
Guidance Planning.
Career Decision Self-Efficacy.
Pesantren.
Student Self-Development Article history:
Received 2025-11-25
Revised 2026-02-26
Accepted 2026-04-10
ABSTRACT
This study examines how guidance and counseling management planning is constructed in two Islamic boarding schools and how these distinct planning architectures shape santriAos Career Decision Self-Efficacy (CDSE).
Employing a qualitative comparative multisite design, data were collected through indepth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis involving school leaders, counselors, and students in two pesantren with contrasting management orientations.
Data were analyzed using Miles.
Huberman, and SaldayaAos interactive model with triangulation and informant validation.
Findings reveal two contrasting planning models.
Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah applies a humanistic-based planning approach emphasizing relational support, emotional regulation, and self-appraisal, which primarily strengthens the self-appraisal and emotional coping dimensions of CDSE.
Darul Mursyid employs a psychometric-based planning architecture grounded in IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn assessments integrated with academic and career coaching, which mainly enhances goal selection and planning dimensions of CDSE.
Interpreted through BanduraAos self-efficacy theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), these qualitative findings demonstrate that CDSE is not merely an individual trait but is institutionally shaped through different counseling management ecosystems.
The study contributes to counseling management and Islamic education by showing how alternative planning models within pesantren can produce distinct pathways for strengthening studentsAo career decision self-efficacy.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-SA license.
Corresponding Author:
Ira Wirtati Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara.
Indonesia.
irawirtati@uinsu.
INTRODUCTION
Indonesian education is currently experiencing transformational pressure as digitalization increases the demand for learner autonomy, while the 2024 Ministry of Education survey shows that https://jurnaledukasia.
EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran.
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304 of 316 more than sixty percent of secondary schools still lack structured self-development systems.
This condition reflects a gap between the need of younger generations to understand their potential and the readiness of institutions to provide mechanisms that can map interests, talents, and future orientations comprehensively (Malinin et al.
, 2023.
Sami et al.
, 2.
The urgency becomes more visible in pesantren environments where spiritual routines, academic demands, and social dynamics intersect, creating a complex developmental setting for santri (Halim, 2023.
Setiawan et al.
, 2.
Adolescents in this context are situated in the tentative developmental stage described by Ginzberg .
, requiring early formulation of educational and career assumptions.
Empirical findings continue to show confusion in career decision-making due to limited exploration and institutional support, reflected in low career readiness (Arjanggi & Suprihatin, 2.
and the need for stronger guidance in rural areas.
Career Decision Self-Efficacy offers an important perspective for understanding this challenge as it represents an individualAos belief in performing career decision-making tasks (Al-Bahrani et al.
, 2021.
Barusi & Suharso, 2024.
Situmorang & Salim, 2.
The concept covers not only technical decisionmaking but also self-evaluation, planning ability, and resilience in facing uncertainty.
Previous studies link CDSE with vocational identity, social support, and outcome expectations, while Taylor and Betz identify it as a predictor of career readiness.
CDSE develops through structured learning experiences and supportive environments, highlighting the need for pesantren to build systematic selfdevelopment frameworks that respond to the evolving demands faced by contemporary youth.
The pesantren environment holds strong potential for fostering CDSE due to its relational closeness, nurturing culture, and structured daily life.
Conceptual and technical barriers still limit the provision of guidance services that address the psychological needs of santri, leaving many with restricted access to career information, minimal self-exploration, and limited experience in making independent decisions within predominantly topAedown learning cultures (Maduningtias et al.
, 2022.
Nurwidyaningrum et al.
, 2.
This condition indicates that career guidance has not yet functioned as a systemic space in many pesantren.
Guidance and Counseling Management provides a framework to bridge this need, with planning serving as the foundation that determines program direction, service priorities, and implementation strategies aligned with learnersAo conditions.
Management principles from Fayol and Gulick, alongside PrayitnoAos perspective on integrated cycles of planning, organizing, implementation, and evaluation, emphasize that effective services depend on coherent design processes that shape the internal capacities of santri (Bhandai, 2.
Planning aimed at strengthening CDSE requires deep identification of santri needs, recognizing that each individual brings unique experiences, fears, aspirations, and potentials (Khatijatusshalihah et , 2022.
Lee et al.
, 2022.
Sun, 2.
Collaboration among homeroom teachers, subject teachers, caretakers, and guidance personnel enables the flow of information from classrooms to dormitories, allowing institutions to organize classical services, individual counseling, and relevant selfdevelopment activities.
Integration between planning and pesantren life further supports organic program implementation, as caretakers help detect emotional and social dynamics while subject teachers connect academic potential with career tendencies.
When institutional components operate within a unified system, guidance and counseling planning becomes embedded in daily life rather than functioning as a separate unit (Dilag, 2023.
Fahyuni et al.
, 2021.
Jarkawi & Madihah, 2022.
Zamroni et , 2.
A concrete example of this integration is seen in pesantren employing a relational humanistic This approach places safe space as the core of guidance: santri are listened to, given room to share stories, and guided to read their own capacities through reflection.
This approach generates interpersonal experiences that strengthen self-appraisal and minimize anxiety in planning the future.
Relational warmth becomes a medium that fosters santriAos self-confidence (Doeka & Banja, 2022.
Gal.
Neal et al.
, 2023.
Zamroni et al.
, 2.
Some pesantren integrate guidance and counseling planning with psychological assessments such as IQ, talents and interests, and STIFIn, allowing santri to understand themselves through objective indikators (Decker et al.
, 2013.
Kovacs & Plyh, 2.
Assessment results guide academic specialization.
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305 of 316 achievement programs, and possible career pathways, while strengthening planning and goal selection aspects of CDSE.
Alongside this, humanistic interaction-based planning continues to support selfunderstanding through relational experiences.
These two approaches represent a spectrum of practices where one relies on interaction and the other on data, yet both aim to develop self-clarity, decisional confidence, and readiness for future choices.
Previous studies have shown that CDSE develops through interactions between individuals and their environments.
Agoes Salim et al.
found that CDSE mediates the relationship between peer support and career adaptability, while Barusi and Suharso .
demonstrated the role of career exploration behavior in strengthening CDSE.
Parola .
highlighted the link between willingness to compromise and career confidence, and Virgianto and Priyambodo .
revealed the influence of conformity on decision-making self-efficacy.
These studies confirm that psychological and social variables shape CDSE, yet they do not explain how institutional planning designs produce such This study contributes by examining how pesantren organize guidance and counseling planning within humanistic and assessment-based frameworks to support CDSE formation in valuebased educational settings.
Career Decision Self-Efficacy is rooted in BanduraAos concept of self-efficacy, which emphasizes individualsAo belief in their ability to perform specific tasks and overcome obstacles in the context of career choices (Bandura, 1978, 2.
The dimensions of CDSE include self-appraisal, occupational information, goal selection, planning, and problem solving, all of which depend on learning experiences, social support, emotional conditions, and adequate access to career information.
This understanding provides a framework that CDSE formation cannot be separated from the systems surrounding individuals.
educational environments, social interactions, and nurturing processes become key determinants in fostering confidence in future choices.
Guidance and counseling management in educational institutions, including pesantren, functions as an intervention space that systematically designs these experiences so that santri have opportunities to assess themselves, recognize potentials, and build directed career orientations.
These dynamics lead to a crucial point that the development of santriAos CDSE cannot be achieved through incidental activities.
CDSE grows only when pesantren have integrated, needs-based, participatory guidance and counseling planning linked with meaningful learning experiences.
Strengthening santriAos CDSE is the product of managerial work that is conscious, structured, and consistent in integrating data, relationships, and experiences.
Therefore, research on guidance and counseling management planning in developing CDSE becomes relevant not as a technical report but as an in-depth reading of the foundations of individual nurturing in pesantren.
This study is guided by two main research objectives.
The first objective is to examine how guidance and counseling management planning is constructed and implemented in two Islamic boarding schools with different organizational orientations.
The second objective is to compare how these distinct planning models contribute to shaping different dimensions of santriAos Career Decision Self-Efficacy within their respective institutional contexts.
Based on the foregoing discussion of career uncertainty.
Career Decision Self-Efficacy, and the institutional role of pesantren, this study is guided by two core research objectives.
First, this study aims to examine how guidance and counseling management planning is constructed and implemented in two Islamic boarding schools with different organizational orientations.
Second, it seeks to compare how these distinct planning models contribute to shaping different dimensions of santriAos Career Decision Self-Efficacy within their respective educational ecosystems.
METHODS
This study employs a qualitative approach with a comparative study design to examine how two pesantren plan their guidance and counseling management in developing studentsAo CDSE (Creswell & Creswell, 2022.
Weyant, 2.
The comparative design was selected because each pesantren has different nurturing characteristics, leadership patterns, and service strategies, allowing comparative Ira Wirtati.
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306 of 316 analysis to reveal variations in approach and their consequences for studentsAo self-development.
This approach provides space for the researcher to enter the lived context of the institutions, capture the dynamics of planning naturally, and understand how managerial decisions are shaped by institutional culture and learnersAo needs.
The fieldwork was conducted over a period of four months.
Data collection in Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah was carried out for approximately two months, followed by two months of fieldwork in Darul Mursyid, allowing sufficient time for in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis in each This study was conducted in accordance with ethical research standards.
Ethical clearance was obtained from the authorsAo institutional review board, and all participants were informed about the purpose of the study, the voluntary nature of their participation, and their right to withdraw at any Written and verbal informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection, and confidentiality was assured throughout the research process.
Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and document study (Takona, 2.
Interviews involved pesantren leaders, madrasa principals, guidance and counseling teachers, homeroom teachers, subject teachers, caretakers, supervisors of specialization and science competitions, as well as santri participating in development programs.
Observations were carried out in classrooms, the guidance and counseling office, dormitory environments, and nurturing activities to capture real practices that do not always appear in interviews (Baum, 2.
The documents examined included annual and semester programs, assessment instruments, activity reports, santri needs mapping, and internal institutional records.
This combination produced triangulated data and captured guidance and counseling planning as both a managerial and pedagogical process.
Data analysis followed the model of Miles.
Huberman, and Saldaya .
, consisting of data reduction, data display, and drawing comparative conclusions.
Data from each pesantren were first categorized according to planning themes, coordination patterns, service strategies, and indicators of CDSE development.
The next stage involved comparative analysis to identify similarities, differences, and contextual factors that generated variations in approach.
Data validity was strengthened through source triangulation, confirmation with key informants, and cross-role comparison to ensure that interpretations remained consistent with field realities (Flick, 2.
The results of this analysis form the basis for understanding how guidance and counseling management planning operates within two different institutional cultures and how each contributes to strengthening studentsAo CDSE.
Table 1.
Research Participants and Data Sources Participant Category School leaders Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah Darul Mursyid Data Sources Guidance counselors Teachers Santri Documents School policies, counseling plans, career programs School policies, assessment reports, career programs Interviews.
Interviews.
Interviews.
Interviews.
Document
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Configuration of Guidance and Counseling Planning in a Humanistic-Based Pesantren at ArRaudhatul Hasanah Medan The guidance and counseling management planning at Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah Pesantren operates within a humanistic framework that positions santri as subjects of development rather than mere Ira Wirtati.
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307 of 316 recipients of services.
This approach moves through warm relational patterns among guidance and counseling personnel, teachers, caretakers, and santri, so that the planning process does not rely solely on formal documents but also on deep readings of studentsAo emotional, academic, and social dynamics.
Every institutional element contributes qualitative data that enriches the needs analysis, ranging from homeroom teachersAo observations, dormitory caretakersAo reports, to informal communication between santri and guidance and counseling teachers.
This configuration produces an organic, contextual planning model oriented toward strengthening santriAos self-awareness as the foundation for building their CDSE.
Guidance and counseling planning at Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah is rooted in the institutional vision of forming knowledgeable, moral, and contributive santri.
Leaders position guidance and counseling not as an administrative unit but as a developmental space that supports character formation and future Planning begins at the start of the academic year through coordination meetings led by the madrasa principal and guidance and counseling coordinator, combining teacher reports, caretaking notes, and observational findings to determine annual priorities and service directions.
Needs mapping becomes the core of the humanistic approach applied at ARH (Folostina et al.
Saputri et al.
, 2.
The guidance and counseling team integrates academic, personal, and social information obtained from homeroom teachers and dormitory dynamics, enabling identification of concerns such as anxiety, confusion in major selection, and relational challenges.
Institutional collaboration strengthens this process, with leaders providing strategic direction, teachers contributing academic insights, and caretaking staff reporting emotional and behavioral patterns that emerge in daily dormitory life.
Program design is then implemented through classical guidance, individual counseling, group sessions, motivational activities, and further education information tailored to mapped needs.
Career programs receive particular attention for final-year santri through interestAetalent discussions, major selection support, and preparation for higher education pathways.
These services are complemented by safe spaces that allow santri to express personal concerns and uncertainties, fostering emotional security and strengthening self-awareness (Buchtler et al.
, 2021.
Green et al.
, 2.
Caretaking staff play a vital role in connecting everyday santri dynamics with guidance planning by conveying issues of adaptation, relationships, and behavior that may not appear in formal settings.
This continuous flow of information supports responsive program adjustments and contributes to strengthening CDSE.
Humanistic interactions and open communication gradually encourage santri to evaluate themselves, articulate aspirations, and formulate future plans with greater confidence.
The strengthening of CDSE that emerges from this configuration can be understood through BanduraAos self-efficacy theory and the elaboration of CDSE by Betz and Taylor, which state that small mastery experiences, verbal persuasion, and supportive emotional conditions play major roles in building self-confidence.
ARHAos guidance and counseling planning aligns with these ideas: safe spaces improve the emotional conditions of santri, empathetic interactions strengthen verbal persuasion, while individual counseling and group guidance provide learning experiences that enhance self-appraisal.
Thus, humanistic-based guidance and counseling planning is not only managerially effective but also has a strong theoretical foundation for building santriAos CDSE in a sustainable manner.
The findings from Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah indicate that guidance and counseling management planning is organized around humanistic principles emphasizing relational warmth, trust, and qualitative mapping of studentsAo personal and career-related needs.
Planning activities are carried out collaboratively by school leaders, counselors, and teachers through regular meetings, individual mentoring, and informal consultations.
Students are provided with safe and supportive spaces to express concerns, explore personal aspirations, and reflect on their strengths and limitations.
Emotional regulation, self-understanding, and moral encouragement are consistently embedded within counseling interactions.
These practices are reflected in counseling schedules, mentoring records, and observational data, which illustrates the actors involved, planning processes, and corresponding CDSErelated activities.
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308 of 316 Interpreted through BanduraAos self-efficacy framework, the humanistic-based planning model primarily strengthens the self-appraisal and emotional coping dimensions of Career Decision SelfEfficacy.
The emphasis on relational trust and supportive communication provides santri with repeated mastery and social persuasion experiences, which enhance their confidence in understanding themselves and managing career-related anxiety.
Within the Social Cognitive Career Theory perspective, this model creates a psychologically safe environment that enables students to evaluate personal interests, values, and abilities before making career decisions.
Consequently.
CDSE in ArRaudhatul Hasanah is shaped less by formal testing and more by sustained interpersonal guidance and emotional support, positioning self-appraisal and emotional regulation as the most dominant dimensions of career decision self-efficacy in this pesantren.
Architecture of Guidance and Counseling Planning in a Psychological Assessment-Based Pesantren at Darul Mursyid.
South Tapanuli The guidance and counseling planning at Darul Mursyid Pesantren operates within a managerial framework that positions psychological assessments as the primary foundation for understanding studentsAo potentials.
IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn assessments become key instruments for mapping academic tendencies and future directions before guidance and counseling programs are designed.
This approach creates a planning architecture that is measurable, systematic, and integrated with specialization programs and achievement development, so that guidance and counseling does not stand alone but becomes an important node linking psychometric data with learning strategies, caretaking, and santri career development.
Through this structured pattern, the institution builds santriAos self-understanding more objectively and facilitates the strengthening of CDSE through precise academic planning pathways.
Table 2.
Configuration of Guidance and Counseling Planning at Darul Mursyid Pesantren Component Direction Guidance Counseling Policy Planning Design Assessment Foundation Academic Specialization Integration Guidance CounselingAe AcademicsAe Achievements Role of Subject Teachers Role of Caretaking Field Findings Guidance and counseling is positioned as a strategic part of education and is directly linked to the vision of producing competitive santri who are prepared to continue to higher Planning begins with a large meeting at the start of the year involving academic leaders, the head of the madrasa, guidance and counseling teachers, subject teachers, caretaking staff, and achievement supervisors.
All santri undergo IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn tests.
Assessment results become the basis for determining specialization fields and development plans.
There are 11 specialization fields .
iology, chemistry, physics, informatics, astronomy, earth science, robotics, economics, geography.
PKTI, etc.
Guidance and counseling is connected to science competition assessments determine coaching groups and the achievement pathways of santri.
Informants Deputy Director Academic Affairs Subject teachers incorporate self-development elements such as teamwork, leadership, reflection, and critical thinking Caretaking staff record relationships, discipline, adaptation, and emotional dynamics of santri in the dormitories to be forwarded to guidance and counseling.
Subject Teachers Deputy Director.
Head of MA Guidance Counseling Teachers.
PKS Head of MA.
Subject Teachers PKS Male/Female Caretaking Staff Ira Wirtati.
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Role of Homeroom Teachers Santri Dynamics Contribution CDSE Homeroom teachers monitor discipline, motivation, and academic progress of santri and report them during guidance and counseling planning.
Santri feel supported by the assessment results because they become more aware of their potential, interests, and options for further study.
Objective assessments strengthen goal selection, future planning, and studentsAo confidence in choosing academic pathways aligned with their abilities.
309 of 316 Homeroom Teachers Santri Guidance Counseling Santri Teachers.
The guidance and counseling planning at Darul Mursyid begins from the policy that guidance and counseling must support the institutionAos vision of producing highly competitive santri who are prepared to face the modern educational world.
The Deputy Director for Academic Affairs positions guidance and counseling as a strategic unit that links the basic abilities, interests, and psychological tendencies of santri with learning activities and achievement development.
This policy establishes a managerial culture that places guidance and counseling planning as a driver of academic movement, not merely an administrative complement.
The preparation of planning begins with a large meeting at the start of the year that gathers various key actors.
The head of the madrasa, guidance and counseling teachers, subject teachers, caretaking staff, and achievement coaches exchange data and interpret the needs of santri.
This forum demonstrates how guidance and counseling planning operates through tight cross-unit coordination, resulting in clarity of direction and structured role distribution (Nurfitri & Ifdil, 2020.
Sabtisilwy et al.
Thus, planning does not emerge from a single space but from a multi-actor managerial dialogue.
Psychological assessment becomes the main foundation of the guidance and counseling architecture at DMS.
All santri undergo IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn tests at the beginning of the year.
The test results become an objective mirror for santri in understanding themselves and serve as the basis for planning guidance programs.
This approach not only provides quantitative data but also gives strategic direction for guidance and counseling teachers in mapping accurate developmental needs.
The academic specialization scheme, consisting of eleven fields, illustrates how assessments do not stop at the mapping stage but are translated into learning designs and achievement programs.
Santri with a strong inclination toward physics are directed to physics coaching groups, while those with linguistic or economic intelligence are directed to other suitable fields.
This decision provides santri with a clear growth pathway from the outset.
The integration of guidance and counseling with scientific achievement development becomes another characteristic that distinguishes DMS from other pesantren (Abdurrahman et al.
, 2021.
Riswan Hadi, 2.
The PKS team uses assessment results to select santri with potential to participate in science competition coaching.
This process creates academic mastery experiences that become a source of selfefficacy enhancement.
Guidance and counseling does not stand apart from achievement, but functions as the engine that activates specialization and competition pathways.
Subject teachers also play an important role in enriching the dimensions of self-development.
Through learning models that require teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking practice, subject teachers help santri build non-academic competencies that influence decision-making processes.
This exposure broadens santriAos definition of self-development through academic pathways.
Dormitory caretaking provides an additional layer in understanding santri needs.
Caretaking teachers report issues of adaptation, relationships, discipline, and emotional conflicts that do not appear in classroom settings (Kusaini, 2.
These reports become important material for the guidance and counseling team to adjust services, ensuring that the developmental process addresses not only cognitive aspects but also the psychosocial needs of santri.
Homeroom teachers strengthen the architecture by bringing information about study discipline, motivational changes, and emerging challenges during classroom activities.
This data provides space for guidance and counseling to modify approaches and respond more sharply to individual needs.
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310 of 316 Information from homeroom teachers becomes a bridge between academic spaces and counseling The dynamics of santri indicate that assessment results help them interpret their abilities more Santri feel more confident in the decisions they make because those decisions are supported by data rather than intuition alone.
This confidence directly influences their readiness to plan academic futures and choose study pathways that match their abilities.
All of these patterns can be understood through the framework of Social Cognitive Career Theory and BanduraAos self-efficacy theory.
Assessments provide mastery experiences and accurate information about capabilities, while achievement coaching provides experiences of success that increase selfefficacy.
The structured academic environment functions as vicarious learning, and teacher support as verbal persuasion.
The guidance and counseling planning architecture at DMS aligns with these theoretical models: the integration of assessment, coaching, and multi-actor coordination creates conditions that strengthen the dimensions of goal selection, planning, and problem solving within studentsAo CDSE.
Findings from Darul Mursyid reveal a highly structured and data-driven guidance and counseling management planning system grounded in psychometric assessments, including IQ, talentAeinterest inventories, and STIFIn profiling.
These assessment results are systematically used to place students into academic tracks, determine specialization pathways, and design individualized career coaching, complemented by continuous monitoring of academic performance and achievement to adjust career plans over time.
Within this framework, career guidance is anchored in measurable indicators of ability, interest, and learning style, enabling a coherent and coordinated planning architecture involving school leaders, counselors, teachers, and assessment specialists.
Interpreted through BanduraAos self-efficacy theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory, this psychometric-based model primarily strengthens the goal selection and planning dimensions of Career Decision Self-Efficacy by aligning studentsAo selfbeliefs with objectively supported career pathways.
Counseling and mentoring sessions ensure that studentsAo personal aspirations and reflections remain integral to the interpretation of psychometric data, while a reflexive awareness of the limitations of testing leads counselors to use assessment results as guiding tools rather than fixed labels, thereby maintaining a more holistic understanding of each Synthesis of Guidance and Counseling Planning Models and Their Implications for CDSE The synthesis of guidance and counseling planning in the two pesantren shows that Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah and Darul Mursyid operate with the same orientation, namely positioning guidance and counseling as a strategic space to guide santri in understanding themselves and planning their future.
Nevertheless, both institutions develop planning architectures that differ in their operational logic and data sources.
Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah builds a humanistic model based on interpersonal relationships, whereas Darul Mursyid structures its planning system through psychometric assessments and academic specialization.
These two approaches illustrate a broad spectrum of how educational institutions conceptualize the guidance process as an instrument for comprehensively building santriAos CDSE.
Table 3.
Synthesis of Guidance and Counseling Planning Models in Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah and Darul Mursyid Aspect Planning Paradigm Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah (Humanisti.
Based on relationships, dialogue, and qualitative needs mapping Darul Mursyid (Psychometri.
Based on IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn tests as the foundation for specialization Synthesis Two paradigms but both systematic and goaloriented Ira Wirtati.
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Data Foundation Observations, homeroom teacher reports, dormitory dynamics Psychological assessment results, academic Actor Involvement Director.
Head of MA.
Guidance Counseling Teachers.
Homeroom Teachers.
Subject Teachers.
Caretaking Staff Development Focus Emotional selfappraisal, safe spaces for selfexploration Personal guidance, motivational seminars Deputy Director.
Head of MA.
Guidance Counseling Teachers.
Homeroom Teachers.
Subject Teachers.
PKS.
Caretaking Staff Goal planning, clarity of academic Academic science groups Service Integration Guidance and CounselingAe Dormitory Relationship Santri Response Dormitory serves as a source of emotional and behavioral daily Feel heard, more confident, courageous in making choices Dormitory serves as a space for strengthening discipline and supporting academic Feel supported because test results provide clear direction Contribution to CDSE Strengthens self-appraisal, willingness to share, emotional Strengthens goal setting, problem solving, and future 311 of 316 Both institutional contexts Multi-actor planning culture Both build CDSE but emphasize different Guidance connected to the academic system and dormitory life Dormitory becomes an essential student development Both santriAos selfawareness and selfconfidence Two pathways leading to CDSE enhancement The guidance and counseling planning in the two pesantren shows that guidance is no longer understood as an additional service, but as the central axis that drives studentsAo development toward independence and future readiness.
Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah and Darul Mursyid both present solid structures, yet through different epistemic pathways.
These two models illustrate how institutional policy, learner characteristics, and educational culture all play roles in shaping the architecture of guidance and counseling planning (Naqiyah et al.
, 2.
The humanistic configuration at Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah places interpersonal interaction at the center of development.
This model provides an emotionally safe space, allowing santri to understand themselves without pressure and to build self-confidence through supportive relationships.
This approach emphasizes that deep understanding of studentsAo psychosocial dynamics can serve as a strong foundation for shaping their future directions.
The psychometric architecture at Darul Mursyid demonstrates that guidance and counseling planning can advance through an analytical, measurable, and data-based pathway.
IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn tests offer an objective picture of studentsAo potentials so that developmental pathways can be designed with precision.
This model shows that accurate identification of potential strengthens studentsAo confidence in choosing academic and career trajectories more decisively.
The comparison of these two models reveals that effective guidance and counseling planning does not have to take a single form.
Institutions may choose a humanistic pathway, a psychometric pathway, or a combination of both depending on their institutional context (Wibowo et al.
, 2.
The core of success does not lie in the form itself, but in the institutionAos commitment to carrying out planning consistently, collaboratively, and based on studentsAo needs.
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312 of 316 The implications of these two approaches show that guidance and counseling contributes meaningfully to the formation of studentsAo CDSE.
Strengthening confidence in making career decisions does not emerge from one-directional programs but from planned learning experiences.
Students who experience emotional support, clarity of direction, and exploratory opportunities demonstrate increased courage to formulate future choices more consciously and systematically (Alwi et al.
, 2.
Findings from both pesantren confirm that strengthening CDSE must be carried out through longterm development.
Guidance and counseling is not merely a series of activities but a process of selfformation that integrates emotional, cognitive, social, and academic aspects.
When planning is conducted comprehensively, students grow not only as learners but as individuals capable of adapting to future challenges.
The theoretical synthesis shows that the success of these two models aligns with Social Cognitive Career Theory and BanduraAos concept of self-efficacy.
ARH strengthens the dimensions of emotional regulation and self-appraisal through verbal persuasion and social support, while DMS strengthens mastery experience and goal selection through structured achievement experiences and objective data.
These two models fulfill the four sources of self-efficacy proposed by Bandura mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and physiologicalAeemotional conditions allowing studentsAo CDSE to grow with a strong and consistent theoretical foundation.
The comparative synthesis of the humanistic-based and psychometric-based planning models gives rise to a conceptual framework of guidance and counseling management planning for Career Decision Self-Efficacy in Islamic boarding schools.
This framework conceptualizes CDSE as an outcome of an ecosystemic planning architecture in which institutional orientation, counseling practices, and student engagement interact to shape different dimensions of self-efficacy.
While both models are needs-based, collaborative, and embedded within the pesantren environment, they differ in how they activate CDSE, with the humanistic model emphasizing self-appraisal and emotional coping, and the psychometric model emphasizing goal selection and planning.
Discussion The analysis of the two guidance and counseling planning models in these pesantren reflects a broader global shift in responding to career uncertainty among younger generations.
The transition from school to work no longer follows a linear pathway, prompting educational institutions worldwide to develop systemic and long-term interventions that strengthen Career Decision Self-Efficacy.
The humanistic configuration at Pesantren Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah and the psychometric architecture at Pesantren Darul Mursyid emerge as localized responses to this global condition, utilizing pesantrenspecific relational closeness, disciplinary culture, and intensive developmental supervision.
When guidance and counseling are positioned as a managerial axis rather than a supplementary unit, students gain stronger opportunities to develop self-clarity and psychological resilience in navigating future career choices.
Global practices in career education increasingly emphasize the creation of learning experiences that foster self-efficacy rather than merely delivering career information .
e Lijster et al.
, 2.
Darul Mursyid aligns with this direction through structured integration of IQ, talentAeinterest, and STIFIn assessments with academic specialization and achievement coaching, enabling early exposure to career-related mastery experiences.
Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah contributes an equally relevant relational model that foregrounds emotional regulation and reflective self-exploration, dimensions often underrepresented in technocratic career guidance systems.
The pesantren ecosystem, which integrates education, caregiving, and spiritual formation, extends the global discourse on CDSE by demonstrating that career development can be embedded in value-based communal environments rather than solely in secular institutional frameworks (Parola, 2.
BanduraAos self-efficacy theory explains the mechanisms observed in the humanistic planning model at Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah (Bandura, 1.
Mastery experiences arise through daily problem management, study planning, and articulation of future aspirations, while empathetic interactions with Ira Wirtati.
Mesiono.
Abdurrahman / A Comparative Multisite Study of Guidance and Counseling Management Planning to Enhance Career Decision Self-Efficacy among Santri in Islamic Boarding Schools EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran.
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313 of 316 teachers and caretakers provide verbal persuasion and emotional stability that reduce career-related Social Cognitive Career Theory further clarifies the structured planning at Darul Mursyid, where psychometric assessments generate specific self-knowledge and realistic outcome expectations (Zhang, 2.
Repeated mastery experiences through specialization programs and achievement coaching, combined with vicarious learning in competitive academic environments, illustrate how SCCT can be operationalized within a value-driven educational setting.
Dialogue with prior quantitative studies reveals that this research situates CDSE formation at an upstream institutional level.
Studies by Agoes Salim et al.
and Barusi and Suharso .
demonstrated the mediating roles of CDSE and career exploration within social support dynamics, while Parola .
and Virgianto and Priyambodo .
highlighted tensions between conformity, flexibility, and self-confidence.
The present findings indicate that such psychological variables are not merely individual traits but are shaped by managerial decisions that organize meeting spaces, service formats, and developmental trajectories.
Darul MursyidAos assessment-based structure reduces uncertainty through objective decision support, whereas Ar-Raudhatul HasanahAos reflective environment enables negotiation between social expectations and personal aspirations.
Contextual specificity remains a limitation, as the findings derive from two pesantren and therefore do not seek statistical generalization.
Analytical generalization is nonetheless achieved by demonstrating how distinct planning architectures produce differentiated CDSE dimensions.
The study contributes conceptual novelty by shifting focus from correlational measurement toward managerial planning processes as generators of self-efficacy-building experiences, contextual novelty by situating CDSE development within pesantren environments, and practical novelty through a synthesized framework that integrates relational-humanistic and psychometric-specialization models in alignment with global demands for youth career readiness.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study demonstrates that guidance and counseling management planning in Islamic boarding schools operates through two distinct yet complementary models, namely humanistic-based and psychometric-based architectures, each shaping different dimensions of Career Decision Self-Efficacy.
The humanistic model primarily strengthens self-appraisal and emotional coping, while the psychometric model enhances goal selection and planning, highlighting how institutional design plays a critical role in career development processes.
At the policy level, these findings suggest that pesantren and educational authorities should adopt flexible counseling management frameworks that integrate both relational and assessment-based approaches rather than relying on a single standardized model.
Such an integrated policy orientation can better support diverse student needs and promote more inclusive and effective career development within faith-based educational institutions.
Practical recommendations drawn from these findings point to the need for pesantren to strengthen both the managerial capacity of guidance and counseling and the pedagogical sensitivity of the actors involved.
Institutional leaders must ensure that guidance and counseling planning is developed based on serious needs mapping, utilizing both relational qualitative data and psychometric data according to institutional characteristics.
Guidance and counseling teachers, homeroom teachers, caretaking staff, and subject teachers need to be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation cycle so that programs truly address studentsAo psychological dimensions rather than serving as ceremonial activities.
Future research can extend similar models to more pesantren using mixed methods to quantitatively examine the influence of different guidance and counseling planning models on CDSE, while also exploring how gender, social background, and parental support interact with guidance and counseling management designs in shaping studentsAo career readiness.
Ira Wirtati.
Mesiono.
Abdurrahman / A Comparative Multisite Study of Guidance and Counseling Management Planning to Enhance Career Decision Self-Efficacy among Santri in Islamic Boarding Schools EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran.
Vol.
7, 1 (January-June, 2.
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