Collective School Leadership Accelerates the Realization of a Superior School

 

We need to understand that a good school governance system must be able to implement the vision, mission, and strategies that have been established. "How come?" That is because the current school management system has shifted the paradigm of modern school management. The progress or decline of school management is the responsibility of all school members. All components within the school can "have an influence." If examined thoroughly based on a strategic environmental analysis, school resources, school weaknesses and strengths, obstacles and opportunities, as well as the principal's leadership, all of these will have an impact. 

            

School Leadership Always Collaborates (Personal Document)

 School Leadership Always Collaborates (Personal Document)

School leadership greatly determines the school's progress. The new paradigm of school leadership is not only about the principal; rather, school leadership is collective. The principal, vice principals, teachers, and administrative staff are all leaders for the students who are to be developed. The principal plays the role of coordinator and motivator, capable of empowering all the potential resources of other school leaders in creating and implementing school activity programs, including the eight National Education Standards. This even includes the preparation of the School Activity and Budget Plan (RKAS), the mission targets that have been, are being, and will be carried out, as well as the strategies used by all school members in school management. A system of guidance and activity evaluation must always be conducted periodically so that the school's progress can be measured over time.

As a leader, one must always introspect, "How can I become a better leader, serving you?" The leader's task is to serve you. In educational leadership, there is a paradigm shift: the leader is not a ruler, not a controller, but a servant who serves their subordinates. Have we helped our subordinates? Are all existing decisions and policies aimed at the progress of students? What is the impact on students? The answer is "yes," and that is the duty and responsibility that a leader must perform.

How do we improve learning and advance the school? In a school, all components: teachers, the principal, and administrative staff must sit together. Gather, talk, debate, and share about the problems being faced. All sit together in their respective classrooms, observing each other, and there will be massive changes in classroom learning. A school as an educational organization must work; teachers collaborate in a team, all teachers collectively tackle the problems at hand, so the burden becomes lighter, and learning problems can be overcome.

Educational reform is a movement to change, towards something better. All components move to make changes towards improvement. Education is undergoing a transformation aimed at creating a superior generation. School leadership greatly determines the school's progress.

The principal must be visionary, capable of being a motor of change, an initiator and facilitator of change towards modern, creative, innovative, democratic school management, and able to nurture all school members. A leader, including the principal, should uphold the teachings of our Father of Education, Ki Hajar Dewantara: "Ing Ngarso Sun Tulodo (in front, set an example), Ing Madyo Mangun Karso (in the middle, build spirit), Tut Wuri Handayani (from behind, provide encouragement)." On this basis, the principal must be able to develop new systems for managing good school management and operations with a far-sighted vision within the framework of school autonomy.

Reflecting on Ki Hajar Dewantara's teachings, the principal should become an agent of change towards better school management. The principal, together with the Vice Principals for Curriculum, Student Affairs, Public Relations, Facilities and Infrastructure, the Laboratory Coordinator, and the Head of Administration, must jointly motivate teachers, administrative staff, and other school employees to advance the school. The principal's duties are indeed heavy, but heavy tasks feel light when shared with their deputies. The principal must be able to fully delegate tasks to the vice principals according to their existing main duties and functions.

Within a specified time, for example, every week or every month, the delegated work will be reported and evaluated together in regular guidance meetings. The principal functions as a motivator to create a solid team in school management governance. The principal creates future leaders within their team by fostering collective leadership, so that thoughts, ideas, and concepts become more abundant, and obstacles in school management can be overcome together.

In the division of labor, the principal can encourage and develop the abilities of all school components in various innovations and breakthroughs in school activity programs. Collective leadership in schools will generate more ideas, concepts, and innovations, so that duties and responsibilities can be carried out together. Togetherness will grow well, eliminating gaps, eliminating suspicion, and likewise, a sense of ownership of the school will also grow stronger among all school components.

Image: Togetherness among school components

Source: Personal Document

Ultimately, collective school leadership can run school management governance well. The actual progress of school operations can be measured in accordance with the school's mission, and before long, there will be a very rapid leap in school progress according to the shared school vision.

Indicators of the success of school programs are influenced by several factors, including:

1. Changes in classroom learning behavior, including teacher activities and student activities

2. Student learning outcomes

3. The principal's leadership

4. The effectiveness of Subject Teacher Consultations (MGMP) at school through meaningful discussions

5. The preparation of a transparent and participatory school plan and budget

6. Participation of the community and educational stakeholders

7. Development of a reading culture (school literacy)

To advance the school so that it aligns with the "Sekolah Penggerak" (Driving School) program, the above factors must be implemented collectively by the school.

Efforts to create collective leadership are better than relying solely on the individual thinking of a principal. If this can be done by all schools in Indonesia, it is not impossible to accelerate the realization of the shared school vision. A school whose vision quickly realizes a superior school. To accelerate becoming a superior school, the school must be led by and implement collective leadership, mutually honing, caring for, and nurturing one another in full togetherness.