School Quality Management and Teacher Professionalism Boost Elementary Education Quality in Medan

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FORMOSA NEWS

Researchers from the Universitas Pembinaan Masyarakat Indonesia (UPMI) Medan and the Universitas Al Washliyah (UNIVA) Medan have discovered that the integration of school management and teacher development significantly improves education quality at the elementary level. Published in June 2026, this research provides a concrete roadmap for stakeholders to improve primary education standards through the strengthening of a solid and collaborative school culture.

Addressing Elementary Education Challenges Elementary education currently faces significant challenges, including quality disparities between schools and uneven teacher competency. Frequently, quality improvement efforts are executed in silos—school management focuses solely on administration, while teacher professional development runs independently without continuity. This fragmented condition creates gaps that hinder the creation of a sustainable educational system.

Research Methodology To dissect this phenomenon, the research team surveyed 108 teachers from five elementary schools, comprising both public and private institutions, in Medan. By employing statistical analysis techniques to measure complex causal relationships, the research team mapped how school management and teacher development interact, and how the role of "quality culture" within the school acts as the primary bridge to achieving higher education standards.

Key Findings

The study unveiled several critical factors determining education quality:

• Significant Impact: School quality management and teacher development are proven to directly enhance the quality of continuing education.
• The Role of Culture: School "quality culture"—which includes collective commitment, collaboration among teachers, and an orientation toward continuous improvement—serves as the strategic bridge with the greatest influence on educational outcomes.
• Model Effectiveness: The integrative model developed explains 67.1% of the determinants of educational quality success at the elementary school level.

Implications for Education These findings confirm that schools can no longer focus solely on pursuing accreditation documents. Instead, schools must cultivate work environments that support collaboration and routine reflection. For city governments and education offices, this model serves as a guide for designing teacher training policies that are more targeted and based on real-world needs in the field. When a quality culture is well-established, a strong school management system becomes far more effective at boosting student achievement.

Author Profile This research was led by Lukman Nasution from Universitas Pembinaan Masyarakat Indonesia (UPMI) Medan, in collaboration with Seila Rizkina (Universitas Al Washliyah Medan), as well as Ega Siddik, Epi Supriyani Siregar, and Citra Novelisma Buulolo (UPMI Medan). The team possesses expertise in educational management, school policy, and the development of educator professionalism.

Research Source:

• Article Title: An Integrative Model of School Quality Management through Teacher Professional Development to Improve the Quality of Continuing Education
• Journal: International Journal of Educational Technology Research (IJETR)
• Publication Year: June 2026
• DOI/URL: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijetr.v4i2.7