Teachers’ Roles in Developing Students’ Cognitive, Ethical, and Moral Competencies in Primary Education

Abstract

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping students’ cognitive abilities related to ethics and morality at the elementary school level through meaningful, character-based learning. This study aims to examine the role of teachers in instilling ethical and moral values through Pancasila Education. The research begins with the identification of issues related to students’ limited understanding of ethics and morality, followed by data collection using a descriptive qualitative approach through observations and interviews. The collected data were analyzed to describe teachers’ roles in the learning process. The findings indicate that teachers function as role models, mentors, and facilitators in developing students’ moral understanding through the integration of ethical values into instruction, the habituation of positive behaviors, and the reinforcement of school culture.