p-ISSN 2355-5343 Article Received: 29/01/2019; Accepted: 15/03/2019

e-ISSN 2502-4795 Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Vol. 6(1) 2019, 79-91

http://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/mimbar DOI: 10.17509/mimbar-sd.v6i1.15200

Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School

Management

Cucun Sunaengsih1, Mayang Anggarani2, Mia Amalia3, Silmaulan Nurfatmala4 & Syifa Diana Naelin5

1,2,3,4,5 Pendidikan Guru Sekolah Dasar, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
 cucunsunaengsih@upi.edu

Abstract. This research aims at describing the implementation of effective school

management based on the principal leadership in one of Public Primary Schools in Sumedang
Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The principal who implemented effective school
management had the potential to produce high-achieving young generation because the
school scope could optimize its function as an educational institution that carried out
economic, humanitarian, social, political, cultural, and educational functions. One aspect
that could support the implementation of effective school management was the principal
leadership in making decisions, communicating, directing and developing the staff, solving
problems and evaluating school activities. The data were collected through questionnaires,
interviews and documentation studies. Furthermore, the results proved that the principal
leadership was one of the main factors in implementing effective school management in
terms of technology, school culture, information systems, and organizations.

Keywords: effective school management, leadership, principal.

How to Cite: Sunaengsih, C., Anggarani, M., Amalia, M., Nurfatmala, S., & Naelin, S. (2019). Principal
Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School Management. Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, 6(1), 79-91.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.17509/mimbar-sd.v6i1.15200.

INTRODUCTION ~ School management is an institution (Al-Momani, Allouh and Al-

one factor that determines the quality of homran, 2012). Schools that have strong
the education (Lessa, Spier and Felipe, principal leadership are predicted to be
2018), since it indirectly determines the able to develop effective school
effectiveness of the curriculum, learning management, because they are
facilities and infrastructure, time and supported by various aspects, such as the
learning process (Salmagundi, 2015). Seen application of technology, school culture,
from management perspective, effective information systems and developed
schools seek optimal utilization of all school organizations. However, in reality not all
components (Kompri, 2017). principals are able to run strong
leadership-based schools (Brooks, 2005).
As a formal educational institution, schools
are required to produce graduates who Principal leadership in school
have academic abilities, skills, attitudes management implementation is
and mentality, and competent considered important as it could ease
personalities so that students have sharing work activities. A well-organized
competitiveness after they graduate from school environment involves several

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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

elements, including the principal, teachers, Therefore, the principal is tasked with
employees and students. Furthermore, fostering the institution to achieve the
good organization creates tasks and educational goals that has been set
responsibilities divisions that were evenly together by always directing and
distributed to facilitate the work process in coordinating with all parties involved in all
achieving shared goals (Suryosubroto, activities. Principals in occupying their
2010). Close cooperation and involvement duties as managers should have basic
between principals, teachers, employees functions and skills of a manager. The
and students through their respective basic function that should be owned by
responsibilities would improve the school the principal as a manager is a function in
quality (Umaedi, 1999). planning, organizing, mobilizing and
controlling school management
Leadership is an essential part in achieving
(Bergeron, 2011). While the basic skills that
the desired school quality (Chow, Ph and
should be mastered are skills in building
Learning, 2013). Schools will progress if they
concepts in planning, establishing human
have a visionary school principal, high
relations by building good communication
integrity in carrying out quality
and technical skill is performing tasks
improvements, and good managerial skills
directly in the field especially when finding
(Krug, 2004). The key to the success of the
a problem, this skill is often used to control
principal as a supervisor is to re-interpret
subordinates in the field (Pidarta, 2009). In
the meaning of supervision (Suryosubroto,
addition, school management
2010). Supervision is an activity that
productively becomes a support for the
determines the situation and conditions
birth of a generation of high achievers and
that are essential for achieving an
the application of school culture that
educational goal. There are several goals
adapted to the times. This attitude is shown
of educational supervision such as helping
by the principal sensitivity to all forms of
to improve the quality of teachers, and
reformation that could support the
helping principals adjust the appropriate
education reformation (Smith, 2013). Such
programs to improve business in producing
school culture is closely related to the
quality graduates (Pidarta, 2009).
vision of the principal. Principal who has a
Successful division of tasks in schools also
vision to face the future challenges would
depends heavily on the ability of the
be more successful in building a school
principal to perform his leadership. In
culture (Kwek, Lau and Tan, 2010). The
implementing the leadership, the principal
results of the achievements can be built
can determine school management
through the school culture that optimizes
according to the organizational climate
school activities, such as through
found in the school (FIP-UPI Education
extracurricular activities. With
Science Development Team, 2007).
extracurricular activities, school could also

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focus on the fields they want to develop, technology, information systems, and
which in turn could be an advantage culture applied in schools as supporting
(Asmani, 2014). aspects in achieving educational goals.
However, some of the results had not
The concept of effective schools could be
elaborated the things that influenced the
pursued through effective and efficient
way the principal led and the application
organizational procedures implemented
of involvement that support the realization
by school principal in school organization
of effective school management. Hence,
managerial. The effective managerial is
this research generally aims at determining
characterized by the functioning of a
the principal leadership application to
good organizational structure in order to
effective school management as seen
meet schooling services (Ibrahim, 2016). A
from the dimensions of concept, design,
research states that the principal
requirements, procedures, impacts,
leadership style could determine the
technology, culture, organization,
performance of the teacher under their
information system quality, and leadership
leadership (Nurbaya, Harun, & Djaelani,
quality. This research is essential because it
2015). Adequate organizational capacity
involved the principal policy in organizing
created a good bureaucratic system.
all components of the school to create an
Conversely, if the principal leadership
effective school. The component of the
could not work well, it would undermine
school consisted of students, teachers,
the performance of the organization,
parents, and the surrounding community.
which indirectly would become a
The way school principal manage schools
weakness (Satriadi, 2016). Apart from the
will be more productive, which in turn
principal leadership which was inherently
would produce a generation of high
personal, there are other things that
achievers and the culture applied in
supported the creation of effective school
schools that would be the balancing
management that involves the technology
factor in establishing the vision and mission
in school, a well-integrated information
to achieve effective school management
system, and school culture as bridges to
targets (Dreiss et al., 2017).
create good relationships between
principal, teachers, employees, students METHODS
and communities around the school
This research was conducted using a
environment (Brooks, 2005).
qualitative method and survey
The aforementioned research results show approaches, which was done in a natural
that the effective school management setting. Natural research is not something
mostly started with the principal intentionally made such as experiments
managerial abilities in all activities and formal interviews that would be a
conducted and the optimization of source of data (Komariah and Satori,

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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

2010). The survey approach was Public Primary Schools in Sumedang

considered suitable because it aims at Regency involving 15 teachers as the
examining the behavior and views the subjects. Teachers were selected as the
ordinary routine and natural activities. In main research subjects because they are
addition, the subjects’ behavior toward the largest population who were directly
themselves, others and the surrounding involved in the implementation of
were then analyzed in order to find the effective school management. However,
reasoning behind (Mulyana, 2010). This the samples were chosen randomly to be
research views social reality as something in accordance with the approach used to
intact, complex, dynamic, full of meaning, retrieve the information. Furthermore, the
and the symptoms had an interactive instruments in were questionnaires and
relationship (Rahmat, 2009). Therefore, this interview guidelines. The following is a data
research was conducted on objects that collection grid adapted from various
were not manipulated and the research theories (Krug, 2004; Kwek, Lau and Tan,
also did not affect the dynamics of the 2010):
object. Furthermore, it was conducted in a

Table 1. Data Collection Grid.

Data
No Variable Indicator Sub. Indicator Technique
Source
1. Leadership School Decision The principal involves Teacher Questionnaire
Making the teachers in every
decision making
The principal does
not involve the
teachers in any
decision making
The principal make
the teachers aware
of the school
program plan
Communication The principal is Teacher Questionnaire
friendly to the
teachers
In making decisions,
the principal respects
each teachers’
opinion
Staff Directing and The principal helps to Teacher Questionnaire
Development develop professional
abilities through
further education,
training, and seminars
The school principal
becomes tutor for the
teachers to get
achievement

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Data
No Variable Indicator Sub. Indicator Technique
Source
School Evaluation Recognition and Teacher Questionnaire
appreciation of
teachers
performance
The principal regularly
evaluates the
teachers
performance of and
employees
Problem Solving When problems Teacher Questionnaire
arises, the school
principal conducts
deliberations to
resolve them
Principal Integrity The principal can Teacher Questionnaire
Vision and Mission estimate future
school needs
The principal
determines the ideals
and goals to be
achieved by the
school
The principal provides
guidance to the
teachers
2 Effective Technology The use of Principal Interview
School technology in the
Management learning process
The role of
technology in
developing the
performance of
school personnel
Culture School culture has Principal Interview
been routinely
carried out by all
school elements
Information System Management of Principal Interview
information resources
in schools
Organization Organizing teachers Principal Interview
performance

In accordance with qualitative research implementation of effective school

procedures, data analysis was conducted management in one of Public Primary
starting from displaying, presenting the Schools in Sumedang Regency.
data and drawing conclusions. Data
FINDINGS
analysis was used to collect data and
information from the survey results related The principal had a vision to develop
to the principal leadership in the teacher professionalism through training. It

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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

was in accordance with government principal. This obstacle arose when the
policy in Law No. 14 of 2005 concerning principal and teacher could not respect
Teachers and Lecturers. This was one of each other for their performance.
the efforts made by the principal as a Motivation given by principal was in the
school leader to improve the quality of form of encouragement such as praises or
their subordinates, especially teachers. The incentives, depending on the type of
efforts made were involving teachers in achievement made. Motivation is usually
cluster activities, PKG, seminars, workshops closely related to the goals, why it is
and other coaching seminars. One of the desired (motives), and the steps to take in
principal’s visions to achieve effective achieving the goals (processes) that have
school management that strives to be been determined (Mulyasa, 2013). By
productive was by instilling confidence giving motivation, the principal hoped the
through the experience of religious teachers be able to pursue the best
teaching, gradually completing learning possible achievements.
facilities and infrastructure, and optimizing
Moreover, it was related to the applied
the learning process. The culture that was
curriculum, the 2013 Curriculum, which is
applied by the principal was outlined by
oriented towards developing potential
optimizing extracurricular activities. It was
students. This certainly required the
done by maintaining the talents, interests
principal and teacher to provide the best
and potential of students and optimizing
performance in performing the task, so
the community participation through the
that the school could adjust to the
school committee.
changing environment and become a
Furthermore, the school principal had tried superior school in the community. Besides,
to carry out his leadership strongly in the not only being a superior school in the
implementation of effective school surrounding community, it could also
management. This could be seen by the generate achievement to compete with
vision made by the principal who was other schools in West Java. In addition,
always oriented towards improving the the results obtained by students through
quality of schools by improving the quality their achievements could have an effect
of teachers and other education on school accreditation, so that schools
personnel. The principal leadership style, could continue to get an A and maintain
which was giving rewards and motivation it.
to the teacher, became an added value
Another managerial ability that the
of the principal's managerial abilities, since
principal should have was to empower
giving motivation to teachers is considered
existing facilities and infrastructure
important. However, there was also an
because it was impossible for schools to do
obstacle that was often faced by
activities if they were constrained by

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facilities and infrastructure. However, the learning process and the below
schools should strive to optimize school average information system due to the
performance, functions, and school location, it did not dampen the
responsibilities through existing facilities motivation to maximize the use of the
and infrastructure. This was the existing facilities. Based on the data
responsibility of the principal, although the processing, the following were the results
facilities and infrastructures were limited, of data collection in accordance with the
such as limited technology that hampered instrument specified:

Table 2. Data Collection Result.

No Variable Indicator Sub. Indicator Conclusion

1 Principal School Decision The principal involves Teachers agreed
Leadership Making the teachers in every
decision making
The principal does not
involve the teachers in
any decision making
The principal make the
teachers aware of the
school program plan
Communication The principal is friendly Teachers agreed
to the teachers
In making decisions, the
principal respects each
teachers’ opinion
Staff Directing The principal helps to Teachers agreed
and Development develop professional
abilities through further
education, training, and
seminars
The school principal
becomes tutor for
teachers to get
achievement
School Evaluation Recognition and Teachers agreed
appreciation of
teachers performance
The principal regularly
evaluates the
performance of
teachers and
employees
Problem Solving When problems arises, Teachers agreed
the school principal
conducts deliberations
to resolve them
Principal Integrity The principal can Teachers agreed
Vision and Mission estimate future school
needs
The principal

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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

No Variable Indicator Sub. Indicator Conclusion

determines the ideals
and goals to be
achieved by the school
The principal provides
guidance to the
teachers
2 Effective Technology The use of technology in Schools used existing
School the learning process technologies such as
Management computers, and
laptops that were
available at school.
The role of technology Technology was very
in developing the helpful in spreading
performance of school information and
personnel managing files. In
providing information,
the principal just
needed to send a
message via an
application on his
hand phone or via
email. Also, emails
helped teachers
providing a report to
the principal and the
principal could
provide a report to
the central
management.
Culture School culture has been Existed, besides the
routinely carried out by Dhuha Prayer in
all school elements. congregation, there
were also regular
gymnastics, reading
and cleaning
activities before the
lesson started.
System Management of Utilizing existing
Information information resources in technology.
schools
Organization Organizing teachers’ Creating an
performance organizational
structure, holding
regular monthly
meetings with
teachers and school
committees, also
providing good
examples,
embracing, and
being assertive.

Table 2 elaborates that:

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1. Principal leadership in implementing registered in the school. It consisted

effective school management was of curriculum vitae data, rank,
inseparable from the use of technology, position, address, working status,
although there had only been a working hours, education history,
number of computers and laptops but career history, training history,
principal was still trying to optimize the attendance rate, salary info and
use of existing technology. Following others.
are some efforts made by the principal: b. Information System related to
a. Managing administration and financial management was used to
academic data: managing of the manage school financial receipts
curriculum implemented, compiling and expenditures in order to
the teaching schedule in each facilitate the preparation of
subject, managing academic financial statements, which
values that had been obtained by consisted of managing each
students and compiled student revenue and expenditure made by
learning outcomes in each schools, allocating budgets and
semester. monitoring the use of the budget to
b. Managing the curriculum data, meet school needs, compiling
each class data, administration of financial accountability reports in
subject taught, arrangement and the form of receipts and
division of schedules for each class, expenditures, recording each
accumulation of student grades, transaction made through
predicate graduation transaction journals (acceptance
requirements, school reports and journals, expenditure journals, and
statistical data and system general journals), school
administering. accounting reports (general ledger
c. Becoming a communication and balance sheet reports), and all
representative between the school forms of system administration. In
community. addition, there were also data on
2. In the use of information system, even payment of education costs for
though the school had not had students, which include school fee,
homemade applications yet, teachers development money, and others.
could optimize every application c. Community relations management
available on a computer or laptop. system, which consisted of social
Following are the information system media applications as means of
available:: communication between school
a. Information System related to communities.
staffing data on teachers and staff

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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

3. The school culture has been described had tried to optimize the stages of
in the vision and mission through interconnected school activities, namely
activities to create positive cultures in planning, implementation and evaluation
order to increase cognitive, affective, (Kompri, 2017). These stages greatly
and psychomotor values outside of influenced the determination of school
class hours. Following are the school quality. To increase the principal’ potential
culture applied: in planning school programs such as giving
a. Literacy activities, reading books in special guidance for students who lacked
15 minutes before learning begins. in certain subjects and guidance for
b. Praying before and after learning. students who took part in competition.
c. Reading the short Qur'anic Letter Students’ participation in the competition
after praying. indirectly nurtured the character so that it
d. Saying hello to fellow friends and was embedded in a happy soul and
school teachers/employees. accustomed in taking a challenge, and
e. Friday cleaning. this definitely showed a positive correlation
f. Weekly gymnastics. to the lives of students in the future. In this
g. Dhuha and Dzuhur prayers in case, the school sought to provide the
congregation. best service to the school community
through the utilization and development of
The school culture that was applied
existing potential.
outside of lesson hours provided a positive
output on the students’ potential. The The results of the research showed that the
output was school achievement, implementation of the principal leadership
especially student achievement which in effective school management was
was characterized by the ability to carried out optimally by the school. There
compete with other students. This could be was compatibility between aspects of
proven from several achievements that leadership, management of productive
had been made in the last two years, schools, and the application of school
namely obtaining the overall champion of culture. This was in accordance with
scout at West Java Province level, Scheerens (Moerdiyanto, 2007) stating that
became table tennis champion of the effective schools had five important
district level, and became first winner in characteristics, such as: magnitude of the
the MTQ at the Sumedang Regency. leadership influence, emphasis on
achieving basic abilities, creation of
DISCUSSION
comfortable environment, creation of high
In terms of concepts it could be said that expectations on student achievement and

the school had implemented effective creation of routine assessment regarding

school management, because the school programs made for students.

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 Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Volume 6 Number 1 April 2019

The implementation of principal' 5. Impact, effective school management

leadership and effective school impacts could be seen and they
management measured by 10 dimensions, provided positive results, one of which
namely concepts, design, requirements, could be proven through the students’
procedures, impacts, technology, culture, achievements.
organization, information system quality, 6. Technology, the technology was
leadership quality in including: optimized through all existing limitations.
1. Concept, the concept was quite good, The technology was used for the
because it was in accordance with the learning process and staffing data
concept of effective schools in general. management. In the implementation of
The concept of effective schools was effective school management,
certainly oriented to the vision, mission technology was a bridge of renewal in
and school goals that should be environmental change (Webster, 2017).
achieved as effectively as possible It did not matter how adequate the
(Negulescu and Doval, 2014), which in technology facilities were, but the
its implementation relied on all forms of principal ability in managing the
cooperation from all components of limitations would greatly affect the use
the school. Although it was not yet of the technology itself in the school.
perfect, the school continued to try to 7. Culture, the culture that had been
optimize the achievement of effective implemented was good, so that it could
school concept. improve the quality of educators.
2. Design, the activities implementation 8. Organizations, the schools ran
was made in accordance with the structured organizational systems. The
concept of effective schools, namely principal could arrange and adjust the
through school programs that support teachers’ duties in the division of tasks
the development of students’ potential, according to the abilities of the
such as extracurricular, etc. This teacher.
effective school design was adjusted to 9. Information system quality, although the
the curriculum set by the government. It schools did not have a homemade
was also related to the design of application, but the use and utilization
character education applied by of the information system were
relevant schools which was also set by optimized.
the government. 10. Leadership quality, leadership ran by
3. Requirements, the criteria for effective schools through coordination between
school determination were adjusted to school principal and teachers to
the school's vision and mission. develop the students’ potential and the
4. Procedure, the carried out procedures surrounding community.
were structured and systematic.

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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

CONCLUSION Journal, 4(2), pp. 367–395.

Chow, B. A. S., Ph, D. and Learning, O.

The principal had implemented effective
(2013). Merging Design Principles ,
school management. This was proved Systemic Change and Leadership
Thinking. TechTrends, 57(5).
through the implementation of the
principal leadership in creating culture Dreiss, L. M. et al. (2017). Adaptive
Management as an Effective
and combining leadership concepts and Strategy : Interdisciplinary Perceptions
technology with school management. for Natural Resources Management.
Environmental Management. Springer
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Ibrahim, B. (2016). Keefektifan Organisasi
accordance with effective school Dalam Pemberdayaan Sekolah. Jurnal
management indicators, namely those Tarbawi, 2 (1),53-63.

that were oriented towards achieving Komariah, A. dan Satori, D. (2010).

goals with the use of capable technology.
The use of technology was not
maximized, which could be seen from the
limited and simple use of technology in
completing tasks. With these findings, it is
expected that there is an applicative
model of principal leadership in realizing
effective school management. Thus, the
limitations of the school do not become a
barrier in reaching the achievement and
quality mandated by the Indonesian
education system.
Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif.
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Kompri. (2017). Standarisasi Kompetensi
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