Fostering Student Agency Through School-Based Learning Practices in Vocational Education

Abstract

This study examines how school-based learning practices foster student agency within vocational secondary education. Student agency reflects a learner's capacity to develop awareness, exercise voice and choice, demonstrate ownership, and take responsibility for their educational progress. This concept supports current educational transformations under the Merdeka Curriculum, which prioritizes student-centered learning, character development, and personal potential. Using a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study design, data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. Research participants included the principal, vice principals, teachers, student activity supervisors, and students across various vocational programs. The findings reveal that student agency grows when school management systematically integrates student-oriented experiences across intracurricular learning, co-curricular initiatives, extracurricular programs, literacy drives, and industrial work readiness. Within vocational contexts, student agency extends beyond mastering technical skills to building independence, decision-making abilities, professional ethics, and adaptability for the workplace. This study concludes that structured managerial support, collaborative teacher facilitation, and intentional learning spaces are essential to establish a sustainable ecosystem that respects student voice, choice, ownership, and responsibility.