Published in the Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR), the study uncovers a significant paradox in Tulang Bawang's education system. Government agencies already possess multiple education databases, including the Education Report Card (Rapor Pendidikan), the National Computer-Based Assessment (ANBK), the Basic Education Data System (Dapodik), and official statistics from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). However, these datasets are rarely translated into practical decisions for educational planning or budget allocation.
The issue is particularly concerning because Tulang Bawang's literacy achievement score stands at 1.66, far below the national target of 3.00. The findings suggest that high school participation rates alone do not guarantee strong literacy skills among students.
According to the researchers, the literacy challenge should not be viewed solely as an educational issue but also as a governance problem. Educational data are largely treated as administrative reports rather than strategic evidence for designing effective interventions.
To investigate the problem, the research team employed a qualitative instrumental case study using a critical research paradigm. The study involved 25 participants, including officials from the Education Office, Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Regional Financial Management Agency (BPKAD), school principals, teachers, school supervisors, education data managers, librarians, parents, and representatives of literacy communities.
The researchers combined in-depth interviews, field observations, and document analysis. All collected data were analyzed using NVivo Project Map, allowing the team to identify systemic relationships among organizational, cultural, and technological factors affecting literacy policy implementation.
The study identified four major structural problems behind the failure of literacy policies in Tulang Bawang.
First, data blindness.
Although educational data are widely available, they are rarely incorporated into policy formulation or budget planning. Results from the National Assessment and Education Report Card remain annual reports rather than practical tools for improving educational programs.
As a result, literacy indicators have not become central priorities in regional education planning, making it difficult for policymakers to allocate resources based on evidence.
Second, fragmented coordination across government agencies.
The research found that public institutions continue to operate within sectoral boundaries. The Education Office, Development Planning Agency, Information and Communication Office, and financial authorities work independently instead of collaboratively addressing literacy challenges.
Consequently, educational data move vertically as administrative reports rather than horizontally as shared information supporting cross-sector decision-making.
Third, a punitive data culture.
One of the study's most important findings is that educational data are frequently used as instruments for evaluation and sanctions instead of continuous improvement.
Schools with poor literacy performance often experience administrative pressure, creating incentives to improve reported indicators rather than actual teaching and learning practices.
The researchers describe this phenomenon as "gaming the metrics," where institutions manipulate performance indicators to satisfy administrative requirements. This practice reduces data quality and ultimately leads to misguided policy decisions.
Fourth, the double digital divide.
Tulang Bawang's geographical landscape, characterized by wetlands and river-based communities, creates significant challenges for internet connectivity. Many schools continue to experience unstable internet access, limiting their participation in digital education systems.
In addition to infrastructure gaps, the study identified disparities in digital competence among educators. Senior teachers and administrative staff generally face greater challenges in using digital technologies than younger educators. Together, these geographic and demographic barriers exclude the schools most in need of support from meaningful participation in the education data ecosystem.
The researchers also observed clear differences between high-performing and low-performing schools.
Schools that consistently achieved stronger literacy outcomes were typically led by principals who actively used educational data for decision-making, encouraged professional collaboration among teachers, and engaged parents in students' learning processes.
In contrast, schools with lower literacy achievement often struggled with limited infrastructure, weak communication between schools and families, and excessive administrative workloads that left teachers with little time to improve classroom instruction.
According to Ristu Irham and his colleagues at Universitas Lampung, investing in digital technology alone will not solve literacy challenges. Data become valuable only when combined with a supportive organizational culture, strong data literacy among educators, and effective collaboration across government institutions.
Based on these findings, the researchers recommend expanding internet infrastructure in remote areas, strengthening data literacy training for teachers and school leaders, promoting data as a tool for school improvement rather than punishment, implementing regular data quality audits, improving interagency coordination, and ensuring that both formal and non-formal education institutions are fully represented in education databases.
The authors emphasize that infrastructure development and cultural transformation must progress simultaneously. Without a shift toward evidence-based decision-making, digital education platforms will remain administrative tools instead of becoming drivers of meaningful educational improvement.
The study offers valuable lessons not only for Tulang Bawang but also for regional governments across Indonesia. In the digital era, educational success depends less on how much data governments collect and more on how effectively those data are transformed into policies that improve student learning.
Author Profiles
Ristu Irham is a researcher at Universitas Lampung specializing in education policy, public governance, and evidence-based policymaking.
Dr. Noverman Duadji is a lecturer and researcher at Universitas Lampung whose expertise includes public administration, governance, and public policy.
Dr. Tina Kartika is a lecturer at Universitas Lampung specializing in public administration, government management, and evidence-based policy development.
Research Source
Irham, R., Duadji, N., & Kartika, T. (2026). When Data Does Not Govern: Ecosystem Dysfunction, Punitive Culture, and Literacy Policy Failure in Tulang Bawang Regency. Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR), Vol. 5, No. 6, pp. 893–910.
0 Komentar