Education is the most essential in the making of educational and civilized society and in producing human capital. Good education is a fundamental in providing an excellent generation in a new era. Our national education system needs to be upgraded by strategic, dynamic and comprehensive efforts to upgrade the abilities and skills to highest quality and excellence (Mohamad, 2011).

The professional skill of lecturers depends on their abilities to implement their knowledge, skills and the right attitude at the right place and time. Jasmi et al. (2009), Jasmi (2010), Wan (2002), Zamri and Jamil (2011) state that attitudes, values and skills impact their role in providing institute at their work places as a quality, excellent, effective and highest performance.

Excellent lecturers in this research refer to Islamic Education Lecturers certificated by Inspectorate and Quality Assurance. Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers have knowledge, skills and expertise besides having a great attitude. They always have a noble character, dedicated and motivated in accomplishing their duties and responsibilities with excellence continuously (Mohamad et al., 2008). Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers in Teacher Education Institute of Malaysia are an effective changing agent in teacher education while they try to build up the faith, worship, moral, physical and spiritual and professional skills appropriate with Islam needed (Mohd et al., 2011). In this research, there are four aspects practiced by the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers. Therefore, this article describes four personality portrayed by them which is towards them-selves, Allah SWT, teacher trainee (students) and colleagues.

Background

Education Development Master Plan (PIPP) 2006-2010 was launched in 2006 to explain the fifth core which is to enhance the teaching profession. This is so related to the duties and responsibilities of the lecturer in Teacher Education Institute especially to Excellent Islamic Education Lecturer. This relationship refers to the duties and responsibilities in upgrading the selection of teachers candidate system, improving teaching training, enhancing teachers’ career, enhancing working surrounding and improving planning and the management of human resources (Islamic Education Department, 2009; Ministry of Education, 2006).

Rahaila (2011) asserts that educators (teachers) or lecturers need to have a great personality, skills and high innovation to provide positive impact on teachers in the making. Next, when teachers start their career as beginners, they are able to develop personality and skills of themselves, confidence and creativity in teaching; so they can motivate students in the classroom. Producing excellent and quality teachers of Islamic Education besides enhancing the teaching profession requires education, mentoring, tutoring and guidance from the Islamic Education lecturers especially Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers, with great quality of character.

Objectives and study cases

This study aims to identify the in-depth character prac-tices among the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers of Teacher Education Institute of Malaysia. It also aims to see the practice of the great character which becomes the pattern among Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers. The question of the study is, “What is the kind of personality that is practiced by the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers in Teacher Education Institute of Malaysia?”

Abdullah (1995) states that perfection of one’s character can be obtained by devotion to Allah, love and obedience to the messenger, seeking Allah’s blessing and loving knowledge besides practicing it. B. Salwana (2009) states that the quality of a great personality includes be-ing a visionary, responsible, consistent, substantive, able to cope with stress, confident, innovative, caring, lovely, empathy, supportive, competent as a problem solver, fair, efficient, flexible, committed to the task, creative, cooperative, hardworking, sharp-minded, integrity, open-minded, friendly and appreciating others.

According to Syed et al. (2010), the educator preferred by students is one who is intelligent mentally, calm spiritually and neat and clean physically.

According to al-Ghazali (1996) in Abdul Salam, (2010), an educator must be sincere towards Allah, care for the students, always advise them about how to study, protect the dignity and students’ image psychologically, espe-cially in their areas of specialization, not discriminating other knowledge disciplines, should teach according to the abilities of students’ level, and teach vividly those are slow in understanding what is taught.

Appropriate to the task of the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers, all the characteristics must be excellent according to Al-Quran. Among them are devotion towards Allah (Surah al-Fatihah, 1:5, Surah al-Anfal, 8:74 and Surah al-Baqarah, 2:172), love to the Messenger (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:36, Surah an-Nahl, 16:125), loving (Surah al-Hasyr, 59:9), love of knowledge (Surah al-Mujadalah, 58:11, Surah al-‘Alaq, 96:1).

This study uses case study design. The researchers took this design of study cases following the method used by Ahmad (2011), Jasmi (2010) and MohdIzham (2006), with slight modification to suit the respondents, location and researchers’ situation. The modification done by the researchers is to use only a method: the qualitative.

Two Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers were interviewed, which served as our main data and that of a Head of Department was a supportive data. The observation method was used on the study sample and document analysis was used to support the interview data. Jasmi (2010) explains that interview is a very practical for gaining accurate information from small population; while observation is suitable to see the changes and development of teachers’ behavior during learning process.

Purposive sampling was used to choose the sample in this study; a group of respondents who represent the population are identified and all individuals in the group are taken as a sample. The researchers identified in Teaching Education Institute who has the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturer listed by the Division of the Human Recourses Management.

The researchers did face validity and reliability of the study as recommended by Bogdan and Biklen (2003), which is the partial structure question containing inventory verification by the super-visors and specialists, pilot study, a triangulation data, fields note report, diary and also specialists’ verification of the interview instruments built. The method of collecting data comes from in-depth interview, observation and document analysis. In this study, interview data are the main data while observation and document analysis are only the supportive data to confirm, strengthen, and prove the facts of interview data on the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturer (EIEL) (Table 1).

Based on the in-depth interview and observation made on the Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers (EIEL), findings show four main characteristics practiced by EIEL in Teaching Education Institute of Malaysia. Four characteristics are attitudes on themselves, towards Allah SWT, teacher trainees and colleagues.

Based on Figure 1, Excellent Islamic Education Lecturers practise the great characteristics towards Allah SWT, themselves, students and colleagues. All these four characteristics catapult them to become excellent educators. All these four aspects are very close and related to each other. These findings are similar with the findings of Jasm et al., (2009) and Jasmi (2010).

Figure 2 explains the characteristics of EIEL towards Allah SWT. Based on the figure, there are twelve attitudes that have been practiced by EIEL towards Allah. The attitudes are humility, humble, trusts, trustworthy, gratitude, doing charity, pleased, piety, generous, steadfast, compulsory practice and patient. The result is similar to the view of Suhid et al. (2014) and Zahiah (2012) that stated that admirable traits that become a goal in the development of the individual personality of Islam are repentance, fear of Allah SWT, patience, gratitude, sincere, trusts in, love Allah, pleased with qada and qadar of Allah and remembering death. The statement of the interview below proves that EIEL has the attitudes of piety, fear and humility in worshipping Allah SWT.

(KJPKR:TB) “After that when we are in the meeting, he is very alert when it comes to prayer. He’s very alert. Then I look at him, his strength, when he prays, he sit quite a long long time, like meditating with himself.  Indeed when looking at him in front of us, he’s very diligent.”

This excerpt shows that EIEL practices worshipping of Allah SWT with humbleness and humility. This also shows that EIEL has the characteristic of fear of Allah SWT. This attitude coincides with Quranic verses related to human’s devotion to Allah which is in Surah al-Fatihah, 1:5, Surah al-Anfal, 8:74 and Surah al-Baqarah 2:172. To conclude, EIEL has practiced excellent attitude towards Allah SWT.

Meanwhile, based on Figure 3, there are four attitudes that have become the practice of EIEL towards themselves. These four attitudes are focus, insightful, proactive and neat appearance. This result is in parallel with the result obtained by Rahaila (2011) that shows that the appearance of TEIM’s lecturer is evaluated at the high level. This indicates that the lecturers can give their focus to their responsibilities. Commendable attitude will be shown by dressing up attractively. Neat appearance too can be an attraction of students’ interest. It also can give the students tranquillity as people tend to feel comfortable if they look at others who dress up neatly. It can also be followed by the students and consequently shapes the healthy culture in the institute’s life (KhairulAnuar, 2012).

The proactive aspect also supports the view of Rahaila (2011) that stated that a lecturer who is highly competent will   have deep interest to affect other people, acting proactively without waiting for consensus agreement and willing to be accountable to action taken.

Meanwhile, the research of KhairulAnuar (2012) and Yuslaini (2012) explains that the educator must be able to evaluate the strength and weakness of the students, display commendable characters, noble attitude, and be insightful as excellent educators and equip himself with skills that are in line with the current demand.

Based on Figure 4, there are sixteen excellent attitudes practiced towards students and teacher trainee. These sixteen attitudes are calmness, eliciting ideas, guidance, entertainer, empathy, explorative, flexible, motivating, admonishing, creative, forgiving, alert, sense of humor, friendly and providing opportunities. This result confirms the outcome from Ramlie and Zaharah  (2014) and Suhid et al. (2014) that say professionalism and personality of the ideal Islamic education educators are needed to be strengthened by purifying the heart, safeguarding the actions and words so that it will be in line with the demands and requirements of the laws brought by Prophet Muhammad. Personal appearance from the aspect of attitude and leadership will be examples for students. Excellent educators will shape an excellent generation too, in line with the formation of the perfect human being to Allah SWT and also aspirations embedded in National Education Philosophy (Nor and MohdZolkifli, 2011).

Based on Figure 5, there are eleven attitudes of EIEL towards their colleagues in Teachers’ Education Institute Malaysia. These attitudes are sharing knowledge, close, loving to give present, able to give and receive opinions, friendly, consultant, learning from friends, insightful and sharing materials. This finding supports the Ministry of Education’s view (2013) and Sharifah Hayaati (2010) that the good relationship towards colleagues affects the attitude to improve quality, productivity and loyalty of the workers to the organization. These attitudes are also capable of producing excellent work culture as they help the organization to achieve excellence.

The findings in the aspect of sharing knowledge between colleagues support the research conducted by MohdFakhruddin et al. (2011) that stated the character of rabbani is inside the educators’ self, including the readiness to learn, educate and share knowledge and experience with students and colleagues.

Muhammad et al. (2011) also stated that the educators must cooperate with their colleagues and must have the educators’ leadership traits so they can be independent in order to implement their work and also guide their colleagues. In detailed, EIEL must form themselves towards better quality and be able to develop the students and guide their colleagues towards excellence.

Based on the discussion above, it is clearly stated that an EIEL plays important role and becomes the core for human’s formation and produces the potential teachers who are competent from all aspects especially attitude. Attitude is a disposition arising from personal desire and stimulation of other groups that have a relationship with it. It affects an individual and is displayed when he thinks, speaks or acts in any situation.

This aspect of attitude is very consistent with TEIM’s culture as described in the fourth dimension of cultural morality. Through this dimension, TEIM’s staffs specifically EIEL hope to always be grateful with all of the blessings received, be humble in all circumstances, be able to please with qada and qadar, always raise the piety to Allah without getting weary in trying and praying and always adhering to the ethics that have been designated as a servant of Allah and civil servants.

EIEL in Teachers’ Education Institute Malaysia also plays an important role in producing potential teachers from all aspects which are knowledge, skills and personality. The development of the teachers needs to be balance so that their values are always being reserved. Thus, lecturers especially EIEL must have personality and attitude that can be exemplified by students or teacher trainees as well as mastering various knowledge and skills. Specifically, EIEL must have excellent attitude towards Allah SWT, themselves, colleagues and students. EIEL who possess this attitude will give positive impact to the potential teachers who receive training in Teachers’ Education Institute in Malaysia.

The author(s) have not declared any conflict of interests.