PurposeThis study aims to provide empirical evidence on the contingency factors that affect the implementation of education strategies and the impact of education strategy misfit on the performance and effectiveness of the board’s moderating role on the misfit level and performance of Islamic banks.Design/methodology/approachThis research is a quantitative study with pooled ordinary least square panel data during the years 2007-2014 from all Indonesian Islamic commercial banks. Islamic bank performances are measured by the level of profitability and sharia financial performance. Board effectiveness is analysed by measuring the effectiveness of both the board of commissioners (BoC) and the sharia supervisory board (SSB).FindingsThis study proves that organisational competent qualities and chief executive officer tenure are the contingency factors that affect the implementation of the education strategy …