The Influence of Principal Leadership, Work Motivation, and the Availability of Practical Infrastructure on the Performance of Public SMK Teachers in Pelalawan District

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of principal leadership, work motivation, and the availability of practical infrastructure on the performance of teachers of State Vocational Schools in Pelalawan Regency. This research uses quantitative. The study population was 156 SMK teachers, with a sample of 108 teachers. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The results of this study prove that the principal's leadership has a significant influence on the performance of teachers of state vocational schools in Pelalawan Regency, with a significance value of 0.000 (<0.05). This indicates that the role of an effective principal can significantly improve teacher performance. In addition, work motivation is also proven to have a significant effect on teacher performance, with a significance value of 0.029 (<0.05). High work motivation can encourage teachers to work more optimally in achieving educational goals. In contrast, the availability of practical infrastructure facilities does not have a significant effect on teacher performance, with a significance value of 0.929 (> 0.05). This finding proves that the existence of practical infrastructure facilities, although important, does not directly affect the improvement of teacher performance without being supported by other relevant factors. Simultaneously, the variables of principal leadership, work motivation, and the availability of practical infrastructure facilities have a significant effect on teacher performance, as indicated by the R-value of 0.660 and the results of the F-test with a significance of 0.000 (<0.05) and F-count of 26.750 (>F-table 2.691). The research findings of this study confirm that leadership and motivation factors have a dominant role in improving the performance of SMK teachers in Pelalawan Regency. In the context of education management, strengthening the leadership of school principals and increasing teacher motivation through training, rewards, and a conducive work environment are more effective strategies than simply providing facilities. Therefore, education policy should focus more on developing the leadership capacity of school principals and improving the welfare and motivation of teachers, which will ultimately have an impact on improving the overall quality of education. In addition, the results of this study can also serve as a basis for future research to explore other factors that contribute to teacher performance, such as pedagogical competence, organizational culture and school community support. This is important to provide a more comprehensive picture of efforts to improve teacher professionalism and the effectiveness of the education system at the SMK level.