Empowering School Committees for Educational Quality Improvement in Curriculum 2013 Implementation: A Qualitative Case Study of an Islamic Elementary School in Peri-Urban Indonesia

Abstract

Background: School committees are expected to strengthen community participation and support educational quality, yet their institutional role in Curriculum 2013 (K13) implementation remains uneven across Indonesian schools. Aims: This study aimed to describe and analyse the empowerment of a school committee in improving educational quality within K13 implementation at an Islamic elementary school in Kibin District, Serang Regency, Banten Province, Indonesia. Methods: A descriptive qualitative approach with a naturalistic design was used. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the principal, a teacher, a school-committee member, and a parent, supplemented by field observation and documentary review. Data were analysed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, with source and technique triangulation used to establish trustworthiness. Results: The committee had been active since the school's founding and performed advisory, supporting, controlling, and mediating roles, including programme input, teacher-training facilitation, and provision of learning facilities. However, its bylaws and leadership decree had not been periodically renewed. Its work was also constrained by members' limited time, funding, the absence of a dedicated secretariat, and the lack of structured capacity building. The empowerment process remained at the involvement stage, between consultation and early partnership on Arnstein's ladder. Conclusion: Strengthening formal institutional documentation, basic committee facilities, and sustained capacity-building programmes in cooperation with the local education office is necessary to move the committee toward a more genuine partnership in school governance.