Functional Teacher Education and the Role of Islamic Studies Teacher in Promoting Holistic Development in the 21st Century

Abstract

Functional teacher education focuses on equipping teachers with relevant skills, competencies, values, and attitudes necessary for addressing the dynamic needs of learners and society. In the 21st century, education transcends cognitive knowledge to include character formation, moral discipline, and global citizenship. Islamic Studies teacher has a vital role to play in promoting holistic development. This paper explores the significance of functional teacher education, highlighting its objectives, pedagogical frameworks, and challenges with particular reference to Islam. It further examines the roles of Islamic Studies teachers in shaping learners’ character, inculcating moral and spiritual values, and contributing to national development.  It touches some of the contemporary challenges faced  by teacher of Islamic Studies and thereby discusses the functionality of Islamic Studies teacher in addressing these challenges.The paper adopts a qualitative descriptive approach by integration insights from Qur’anic injunctions, Hadith, and scholarly perspectives to argue that Islamic Studies teacher must evolve beyond mere content delivery to become facilitator of value-based education.