The Influence of School Culture and Principal Managerial Competence on Elementary School Teacher Performance in a Remote Indonesian District: A Quantitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52690/jswse.v7i3.1585Keywords:
Elementary School, Merdeka Curriculum, Principals’ Managerial Competence, School Culture, Teacher PerformanceAbstract
This quantitative study examines the influence of school culture and principal managerial competence on elementary school teacher performance in Karang Agung Ilir District, Banyuasin Regency, Indonesia—a remote area with significant geographic and infrastructural constraints. Using an explanatory correlational design, data were collected from 79 public elementary school teachers selected through proportional random sampling. Validated and reliable Likert-scale questionnaires were employed. Data were analyzed using simple and multiple linear regression. Findings reveal that school culture has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance (β = 0.967, t = 21.512, p < 0.001), contributing 85.7% (R² = 0.857). Principal managerial competence also demonstrates a positive and significant effect (β = 0.955, t = 21.239, p < 0.001), contributing 85.4% (R² = 0.854). Simultaneously, both variables significantly predict teacher performance (F = 294.892, p < 0.001), with a combined contribution of 88.6% (R² = 0.886). These results indicate that in resource-limited, geographically isolated schools, a conducive school culture and effective principal managerial competence are critical determinants of teacher performance. The study contributes empirical evidence from an understudied remote elementary school context, extending organizational culture and educational leadership theories. Practically, it recommends targeted professional development for principals in managerial functions and intentional cultivation of collaborative school culture to enhance teacher performance in similar marginalized settings.
References
Al-Zu’bi, M. A. A., Al-Mseidin, K. I. M., Yaakob, M. F. M., Fauzee, M. S. O., Mahmood, M. H. H., Sohri, N., Al-Mawadieh, R. S. M., & Senathirajah, A. R. B. S. (2024). The Impact of the School Educational Environment on Primary School Teachers’ Commitment to Educational Quality. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00633-4
Amtu, O., Makulua, K., Matital, J., & Pattiruhu, C. M. (2020). Improving Student Learning Outcomes through School Culture, Work Motivation and Teacher Performance. International Journal of Instruction, 13(4), 885–902. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13454a
Ariyani, D., Suyatno, S., & Muhammad, M. (2021). Principal’s Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership to Establish a Positive Learning Environment. European Journal of Educational Research, 10(1), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.10.1.63
Ayumi, M., & Nasution, I. (2025). Leadership of School Principals in Improving the Quality of Teacher Learning. Urwatul Wutsqo: Jurnal Studi Kependidikan Dan Keislaman, 14(2), 464–478. https://doi.org/10.54437/urwatulwutsqo.v14i2.2201
Bahreini, R., Gholizadeh, M., Gedik, F. G., Yousefi, M., & Janati, A. (2021). Components of Contributing Conditions to Strengthen Health System Management and Leadership Capacity Building: A Systematic Review and Decision Making Framework. Leadership in Health Services, 34(4), 527–545. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-01-2021-0006
Bukhari, S. G. A. S., Jamali, S. G., Larik, A. R., & Chang, M. S. (2023). Fostering Intrinsic Motivation Among Teachers: Importance of Work Environment and Individual Differences. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 11(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2021.1925182
Ciarla, R. S. (2023). A Capability-Driven Path to Well-Being: Cases of Community-Based Education in Rural Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/mj5ar
Dimmock, C., Tan, C. Y., Nguyen, D., Tran, T. A., & Dinh, T. T. (2021). Implementing Education System Reform: Local Adaptation in School Reform of Teaching and Learning. International Journal of Educational Development, 80, 102302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2020.102302
Erichsen, K., & Reynolds, J. (2020). Public School Accountability, Workplace Culture, and Teacher Morale. Social Science Research, 85, 102347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2019.102347
Haas, O. (2024). Schein, E.H. In Vordenker der Organisationsentwicklung (pp. 237–244). Schäffer-Poeschel. https://doi.org/10.34156/978-3-7910-5965-5_22
Hakim, L. (2023). Optimizing Performance Management in Improving Teacher Professional Competence: Strategies and Challenges. Global Education Journal, 1(2), 359–370. https://doi.org/10.59525/gej.v1i2.270
He, P., Guo, F., & Abazie, G. A. (2024). School Principals’ Instructional Leadership As a Predictor of Teacher’s Professional Development. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 9(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-024-00290-0
Kurniawan, B. (2024). Dynamics of Independent Curriculum Implementation in Elementary Schools: A Systematic Literature Review. Ideguru: Jurnal Karya Ilmiah Guru, 9(3), 1672–1678. https://doi.org/10.51169/ideguru.v9i3.1229
Mardiati, R., Listyarni, S., & Santoso, B. (2023). The Influence of Organizational Culture and Principals’ Managerial Skills on Elementary School Teacher Performance. Jurnal Basicedu, 7(1), 79–88. https://doi.org/10.31004/basicedu.v7i1.4243
Muhsin, M. R., Indartono, S., & Astuti, S. I. (2020). The Role of School Culture in Teacher Professionalism Improvement. Proceedings of the International Conference on Progressive Education (ICOPE 2019). https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200323.111
Noviyanti, R. (2024). Analysis of Visionary Leadership on Teacher Innovativeness in a Review at the High School Level. International Journal of Humanity Advance, Business & Sciences (IJHABS), 2(3), 197–206. https://doi.org/10.59971/ijhabs.v2i3.337
Pak, K., Polikoff, M. S., Desimone, L. M., & Saldívar García, E. (2020). The Adaptive Challenges of Curriculum Implementation: Insights for Educational Leaders Driving Standards-Based Reform. AERA Open, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858420932828
Papilaya, J., & Nanda, F. A. (2024). The Impact of School Principals’ Managerial Skills and School Climate on Teacher Performance. Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 7(3), 425–433. https://doi.org/10.23887/jlls.v7i3.88038
Ralebese, M. D., Jita, L., & Badmus, O. T. (2025). Examining Primary School Principals’ Instructional Leadership Practices: A Case Study on Curriculum Reform and Implementation. Education Sciences, 15(1), 70. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010070
Sliwka, A., Klopsch, B., Beigel, J., & Tung, L. (2024). Transformational Leadership for Deeper Learning: Shaping Innovative School Practices for Enhanced Learning. Journal of Educational Administration, 62(1), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-03-2023-0049
Ssenyonga, M. (2021). Imperatives for Post Covid-19 Recovery of Indonesia’s Education, Labor, and SME Sectors. Cogent Economics & Finance, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2021.1911439
Stacey, M., McGrath-Champ, S., & Wilson, R. (2023). Teacher Attributions of Workload Increase in Public Sector Schools: Reflections on Change and Policy Development. Journal of Educational Change, 24(4), 971–993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-022-09476-0
Taqwim, M. (2024). The Influence of Work Culture and Work Motivation on Teacher Performance. Journal of Islamic Studies and Education, 3(3), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.63120/jise.v3i3.47
Terry, G. R. (2019). Fundamentals of Management. Bumi Aksara.
Van Waeyenberg, T., Peccei, R., & Decramer, A. (2022). Performance Management and Teacher Performance: The Role of Affective Organizational Commitment and Exhaustion. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(4), 623–646. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2020.1754881
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Budi Prayogo, Andi Rahman, Pahlawan Pahlawan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
