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p-ISSN 2355-5343 Article Received: 29/01/2020; Accepted: 15/03/2020 e-ISSN 2502-4795 Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Vol.

6(1) 2020, 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. (2020). 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 leadership are predicted to be able to


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

responsibilities divisions that were evenly coordinating with all parties involved in all
distributed to facilitate the work process in activities. Principals in occupying their duties
achieving shared goals (Suryosubroto, as managers should have basic functions
2010). Close cooperation and involvement and skills of a manager. The basic function
between principals, teachers, employees that should be owned by the principal as a
and students through their respective manager is a function in planning,
responsibilities would improve the school organizing, mobilizing and controlling
quality (Umaedi, 1999). school management
(Bergeron, 2011). While the basic skills that
Leadership is an essential part in achieving
should be mastered are skills in building
the desired school quality (Chow, Ph and
concepts in planning, establishing human
Learning, 2013). Schools will progress if they
relations by building good communication
have a visionary school principal, high
and technical skill is performing tasks
integrity in carrying out quality
directly in the field especially when finding
improvements, and good managerial skills
a problem, this skill is often used to control
(Krug, 2004). The key to the success of the
subordinates in the field (Pidarta, 2009). In
principal as a supervisor is to re-interpret the
addition, school management productively
meaning of supervision (Suryosubroto,
becomes a support for the birth of a
2010). Supervision is an activity that
generation of high achievers and the
determines the situation and conditions that
application of school culture that adapted
are essential for achieving an educational
to the times. This attitude is shown by the
goal. There are several goals of educational
principal sensitivity to all forms of
supervision such as helping to improve the
reformation that could support the
quality of teachers, and helping principals
education reformation (Smith, 2013). Such
adjust the appropriate programs to improve
school culture is closely related to the vision
business in producing quality graduates
of the principal. Principal who has a vision to
(Pidarta, 2009).
face the future challenges would be more
Successful division of tasks in schools also
successful in building a school culture
depends heavily on the ability of the
(Kwek, Lau and Tan, 2010). The results of the
principal to perform his leadership. In
achievements can be built through the
implementing the leadership, the principal
school culture that optimizes school
can determine school management
activities, such as through extracurricular
according to the organizational climate
activities. With extracurricular activities,
found in the school (FIP-UPI Education
school could also focus on the fields they
Science Development Team, 2007).
want to develop, which in turn could be an
Therefore, the principal is tasked with
advantage (Asmani, 2014).
fostering the institution to achieve the
educational goals that has been set The concept of effective schools could be
together by always directing and pursued through effective and efficient
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Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Volume 6 Number 1 April 2020

organizational procedures implemented by the realization of effective school


school principal in school organization management. Hence, this research
managerial. The effective managerial is generally aims at determining the principal
characterized by the functioning of a good leadership application to effective school
organizational structure in order to meet management as seen from the dimensions
schooling services (Ibrahim, 2016). A of concept, design, requirements,
research states that the principal leadership procedures, impacts, technology, culture,
style could determine the performance of organization, information system quality,
the teacher under their leadership and leadership quality. This research is
(Nurbaya, Harun, & Djaelani, 2015). essential because it involved the principal
Adequate organizational capacity created policy in organizing all components of the
a good bureaucratic system. Conversely, if school to create an effective school. The
the principal leadership could not work well, component of the school consisted of
it would undermine the performance of the students, teachers, parents, and the
organization, which indirectly would surrounding community. The way school
become a principal manage schools will be more
weakness (Satriadi, 2016). Apart from the productive, which in turn would produce a
principal leadership which was inherently generation of high achievers and the
personal, there are other things that culture applied in schools that would be the
supported the creation of effective school 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
METHODS
principal, teachers, employees, students
and communities around the school This research was conducted using a
environment (Brooks, 2005). qualitative method and survey
approaches, which was done in a natural
The aforementioned research results show
setting. Natural research is not something
that the effective school management
intentionally made such as experiments and
mostly started with the principal managerial
formal interviews that would be a source of
abilities in all activities conducted and the
data (Komariah and Satori, 2010). The
optimization of technology, information
survey approach was considered suitable
systems, and culture applied in schools as
because it aims at examining the behavior
supporting aspects in achieving
and views the ordinary routine and natural
educational goals. However, some of the
activities. In addition, the subjects’ behavior
results had not elaborated the things that
toward themselves, others and the
influenced the way the principal led and
surrounding were then analyzed in order to
the application of involvement that support
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Cucun Sunaengsih et.al., Principal Leadership in the Implementation of Effective School…

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

Data
No Variable Indicator Sub. Indicator Technique
Source
School Evaluation Recognition and Teacher Questionnaire
appreciation of
teachers

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Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Volume 6 Number 1 April 2020

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 Principal Interview
has been
routinely
carried out by all
school elements
Information System Management of Principal Interview
information resources
in schools
Organization Organizing teachers Principal Interview
performance

starting from displaying, presenting the data


In accordance with qualitative research and drawing conclusions. Data analysis was
procedures, data analysis was conducted used to collect data and information from

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

the survey results related to the principal of teachers and other education personnel.
leadership in the implementation of The principal leadership style, which was
effective school management in one giving rewards and motivation to the
of Public Primary Schools in Sumedang teacher, became an added value
Regency. of the principal's managerial abilities, since
giving motivation to teachers is considered
FINDINGS
important. However, there was also an

The principal had a vision to develop obstacle that was often faced by principal.

teacher professionalism through training. It This obstacle arose when the principal and

was in accordance with government policy teacher could not respect each other for

in Law No. 14 of 2005 concerning Teachers their performance. Motivation given by

and Lecturers. This was one of the efforts principal was in the form of encouragement

made by the principal as a school leader to such as praises or incentives, depending on

improve the quality of their subordinates, the type of achievement made. Motivation

especially teachers. The efforts made were is usually closely related to the goals, why it

involving teachers in cluster activities, PKG, is desired (motives), and the steps to take in

seminars, workshops and other coaching achieving the goals (processes) that have

seminars. One of the principal’s visions to been determined (Mulyasa, 2013). By giving

achieve effective school management that motivation, the principal hoped the

strives to be productive was by instilling teachers be able to pursue the best possible

confidence through the experience of achievements.

religious teaching, gradually completing


Moreover, it was related to the applied
learning facilities and infrastructure, and
curriculum, the 2013 Curriculum, which is
optimizing the learning process. The culture
oriented towards developing potential
that was applied by the principal was
students. This certainly required the principal
outlined by optimizing extracurricular
and teacher to provide the best
activities. It was done by maintaining the
performance in performing the task, so that
talents, interests and potential of students
the school could adjust to the changing
and optimizing the community participation
environment and become a superior school
through the school committee.
in the community. Besides, not only being a

Furthermore, the school principal had tried superior school in the surrounding

to carry out his leadership strongly in the community, it could also generate

implementation of effective school achievement to compete with other

management. This could be seen by the schools in West Java. In addition, the results

vision made by the principal who was obtained by students through their

always oriented towards improving the achievements could have an effect on

quality of schools by improving the quality

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school accreditation, so that schools could responsibilities through existing facilities and
continue to get an A and maintain infrastructure. This was the responsibility of
it. the principal, although the facilities and
infrastructures were limited, such as limited
Another managerial ability that the
technology that hampered the learning
principal should have was to empower
process and the below average information
existing facilities and infrastructure because
system due to the school location, it did not
it was impossible for schools to do activities
dampen the motivation to maximize the use
if they were constrained by facilities and
of the existing facilities. Based on the data
infrastructure. However, schools should
processing, the following were the results of
strive to optimize school performance,
data collection in accordance with the
functions, and
instrument specified:
Table 2. Data Collection Result.

No Sub. Indic ator Conclusion


Variable Indicator
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

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

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
principal
The

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 in Technology was very
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.

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Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Volume 6 Number 1 April 2020

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:


1. Principal leadership in implementing c. Becoming a communication
effective school management was representative between the
inseparable from the use of technology, school community.
although there had only been a number 2. In the use of information system, even
of computers and laptops but principal though the school had not had
was still trying to optimize the use of homemade applications yet,
existing technology. Following are some teachers could optimize every
efforts made by the principal: application available on a computer
a. Managing administration and or laptop. Following are the
academic data: managing of the information system available::
curriculum implemented, compiling a. Information System related to
the teaching schedule in each staffing data on teachers and
subject, managing academic staff registered in the school. It
values that had been obtained by consisted of curriculum vitae
students and compiled student data, rank, position, address,
learning outcomes in each working status, working hours,
semester. education history, career history,
b. Managing the curriculum data, training history, attendance rate,
each class data, administration of salary info and others.
subject taught, arrangement and b. Information System related to
division of schedules for each class, financial management was used
accumulation of student grades, to manage school financial
predicate graduation requirements, receipts and expenditures in
school reports and statistical data order to facilitate the preparation
and system administering. of financial statements, which
consisted of managing each

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

revenue and expenditure made by f. Weekly gymnastics.


schools, allocating budgets and g. Dhuha and Dzuhur prayers
monitoring the use of the budget to in congregation.
meet school needs, compiling
The school culture that was applied
financial accountability reports in
outside of lesson hours provided a
the form of receipts and expenditures,
positive output on the students’
recording each transaction made
potential. The output was school
through
achievement, especially student
transaction journals (acceptance
achievement which was characterized
journals, expenditure journals, and
by the ability to compete with other
general journals), school accounting
students. This could be proven from
reports (general ledger and balance
several achievements that had been
sheet reports), and all forms of system
made in the last two years, namely
administration. In addition, there were
obtaining the overall champion of scout
also data on payment of education
at West Java Province level, became
costs for students, which include school
table tennis champion of the district
fee, development money, and others.
level, and became first winner in the MTQ
c. Community relations management
at the Sumedang Regency.
system, which consisted of social
media applications as means of DISCUSSION
communication between school
In terms of concepts it could be said that
communities.
the school had implemented effective
3. The school culture has been described in
school management, because the
the vision and mission through activities
school had tried to optimize the stages
to create positive cultures in order to
of interconnected school activities,
increase cognitive, affective, and
namely planning, implementation and
psychomotor values outside of class
evaluation (Kompri, 2017). These stages
hours. Following are the school culture
greatly influenced the determination of
applied:
school quality. To increase the principal’
a. Literacy activities, reading books in
potential in planning school programs
15 minutes before learning begins.
such as giving special guidance for
b. Praying before and after learning.
students who lacked in certain subjects
c. Reading the short Qur'anic Letter
and guidance for students who took
after praying.
part in competition. Students’
d. Saying hello to fellow friends and
participation in the competition
school teachers/employees.
indirectly nurtured the character so that
e. Friday cleaning. it was embedded in a happy soul and

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Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Volume 6 Number 1 April 2020

accustomed in taking a challenge, and this achieved as effectively as possible


definitely showed a positive correlation to (Negulescu and Doval, 2014), which
the lives of students in the future. In this in its implementation relied on all
case, the school sought to provide the best forms of cooperation from all
service to the school community through components of the school. Although
the utilization and development of existing it was not yet perfect, the school
potential. continued to try to optimize the
achievement of effective school
The results of the research showed that the
concept.
implementation of the principal leadership
2. Design, the activities implementation
in effective school management was
was made in accordance with the
carried out optimally by the school. There
concept of effective schools, namely
was compatibility between aspects of
through school programs that support
leadership, management of productive
the development of students’
schools, and the application of school
potential, such as extracurricular, etc.
culture. This was in accordance with
This effective school design was
Scheerens (Moerdiyanto, 2007) stating that
adjusted to the curriculum set by the
effective schools had five important
government. It was also related to the
characteristics, such as: magnitude of the
design of character education
leadership influence, emphasis on
applied by relevant schools which
achieving basic abilities, creation of
was also set by the government.
comfortable environment, creation of high
3. Requirements, the criteria for
expectations on student achievement and
effective school determination were
creation of routine assessment regarding
adjusted to the school's vision and
programs made for students.
mission.
The implementation of principal' leadership
4. Procedure, the carried out
and effective school management
procedures were structured and
measured by 10 dimensions, namely
systematic.
concepts, design, requirements,
5. Impact, effective school
procedures, impacts, technology, culture,
management impacts could be seen
organization, information system quality,
and they provided positive results,
leadership quality in including:
one of which could be proven
1. Concept, the concept was quite good,
through the students’ achievements.
because it was in accordance with the
6. Technology, the technology was
concept of effective schools in general.
optimized through all existing
The concept of effective schools was
limitations.
certainly oriented to the vision, mission
and school goals that should be

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

The technology was used for the learning technology with school management.
process and staffing data management. However, the leadership of the school
In the implementation of effective principal applied was not fully in
school management, accordance with effective school
technology was a bridge of renewal in management indicators, namely those
environmental change (Webster, 2017). that were oriented towards achieving
It did not matter how adequate the goals with the use of capable
technology facilities were, but the technology. The use of technology was
principal ability in managing the not yet maximized, which could be seen
limitations would greatly affect the use of from the limited and simple use of
the technology itself in the school. technology in completing tasks. With

7. Culture, the culture that had been these findings, it is expected that there is

implemented was good, so that it could an applicative model of principal

improve the quality of educators. leadership in realizing effective school

8. Organizations, the schools management. Thus, the limitations of the


ran school do not become a barrier in
structured organizational systems. The reaching the achievement and quality
principal could arrange and adjust the mandated by the Indonesian education
teachers’ duties in the division of tasks system.
according to the abilities of the teacher.
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