Evaluation of the Learning Implementation of Islamic Religion Education at The School Level in Makassar City Using the Cse-Ucla Model

Abstract

The quality of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) is determined not only by instructional practices but also by a comprehensive evaluation system capable of assessing program achievement across multiple dimensions. Although numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of IRE instruction, empirical research employing the Center for the Study of Evaluation–University of California, Los Angeles (CSE-UCLA) evaluation model in a holistic manner remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of Islamic Religious Education in public junior high schools in Makassar, Indonesia, based on the five dimensions of the CSE-UCLA model: System Assessment, Program Planning, Program Implementation, Program Improvement, and Program Certification. A mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design was employed across five public junior high schools involving 24 participants consisting of school principals and Islamic Religious Education teachers. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and integrated thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the overall implementation of Islamic Religious Education achieved a very good level with an average score of 4.34. System Assessment recorded the highest mean score 4.54, followed by Program Planning 4.37, Program Implementation 4.37, and Program Improvement 4.33, whereas Program Certification obtained a score of 4.08, indicating a good level of achievement. Qualitative findings reveal that effective implementation is strongly supported by school leadership, teacher competence, and institutional management, although continuous improvement is still required in learning outcome documentation, follow-up evaluation, and program sustainability. This study concludes that the CSE-UCLA model provides a comprehensive and empirically grounded evaluation framework for assessing the quality of Islamic Religious Education implementation and offers practical implications for policymakers and educational stakeholders in strengthening sustainable quality improvement.