STRENGTHENING ISLAMIC ECONOMIC UNDERSTANDING AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN RUMBAI DISTRICT, PEKANBARU THROUGH INTERACTIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS AND PRACTICAL HALAL FINANCIAL EDUCATION

Abstract

This community engagement program aimed to enhance Islamic economic literacy among adolescents in Rumbai District, Pekanbaru, through interactive learning approaches and hands-on halal financial practices. The program was implemented over a four-month period and involved 56 adolescents aged 15–21 years from diverse educational backgrounds. The learning methods included interactive workshops, Sharia-based transaction simulations, visits to Islamic financial institutions, training in personal financial management grounded in Islamic principles, and continuous mentoring in halal financial practices. A pre-test and post-test design was employed to measure changes in participants’ levels of understanding. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in participants’ comprehension of Islamic economic concepts, with average scores increasing from 42.3 to 78.6, representing an 85.8% improvement. Practical competencies in halal financial management also improved substantially, as evidenced by 87% of participants successfully developing Sharia-compliant personal financial plans. Furthermore, attitude evaluation revealed that 82% of participants expressed readiness to utilize Islamic financial products in the future. Overall, the program effectively fostered both awareness and practical capabilities among adolescents in applying Islamic economic principles in their daily lives. These findings indicate that interactive and practice-oriented learning strategies can make a meaningful contribution to strengthening Islamic economic literacy among Indonesia’s younger generation.