Visionary Leadership of School Principals in Enhancing the Quality of Education

Authors

  • Iqbal Anas Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M Djamil Djambek, Bukittinggi
  • Zulfani Sesmiarni Universitas Islam Negeri Sjech M Djamil Djambek, Bukittinggi
  • Eneng Sunani Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Assalamiyah Serang, Banten
  • Abdal Ahmed Tula's Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
  • Akhmad Zaenul Ibad Institut Agama Islam Pemalang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i2.531

Keywords:

Visionary Leadership, School Principal, Educational quality

Abstract

Visionary leadership of school principals plays a critical role in enhancing the quality of education through strategic vision, teacher supervision, instructional innovation, and collaboration among all stakeholders to create a favourable school climate. This study aims to analyze the role of visionary leadership in improving educational quality and to develop an effective contextual leadership model for the first secondary school, Muhammadiyah Payakumbuh. The research employed a qualitative case study approach, utilizing data collection techniques including semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis. Data were analyzed iteratively through data reduction, presentation, and concluding. Data validation was conducted through the triangulation of sources, methods, and time to ensure the consistency and accuracy of the findings. Results indicate that the principal has formulated a clear educational vision and begun its implementation through programs to improve learning, strengthen character development, and enhance teacher capacity. Visionary leadership is characterised in collaborative strategies, effective stakeholder engagement, and seamless technology integration. Positive impacts are evident in improved student learning outcomes and increased parental satisfaction. However, challenges such as limited budget, teacher resistance, and infrastructure constraints remain obstacles. This study highlights the importance of visionary leadership, stakeholder support, and continuous training in achieving sustainable educational quality in resource-limited schools. In conclusion, visionary leadership is essential for improving educational quality, but its success heavily depends on the collective support of all stakeholders.

 

References

Abdul Aziz, N. A., Asimiran, S., Hassan, A., & Fooi, F. S. (2022). Kepemimpinan: Kejayaan perubahan melalui komitmen dan kesediaan. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press.

Amelia, A., & Siahaan, A. (2025). The Principal’s Leadership in Implementing Performance to Improve School Quality. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(1), 181–194. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i1.678

Anas, I. (2025). Pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala madrasah terhadap kinerja guru di MAN Payakumbuh. EduYorasaki: Journal of Islamic Education Management, 1, 1–8. https://ejournal.yorasakiedu.com/jmpi/article/view/8

Anas, I., & Hanani, S. (2024). Perspektif Ibnu Khaldun tentang penerapan nilai-nilai pendidikan Islam di SMP Muhammadiyah Payakumbuh. Edusociata Jurnal Pendidikan Sosiologi, 7. https://doi.org/10.33627/es.v7i2.2808

Anas, I., & Karim, H. A. (2025). Implementasi perencanaan (takhtîth) dalam perspektif Islam di SMP Muhammadiyah Payakumbuh. EduYorasaki: Journal of Islamic Education Management, 1, 1–12. https://ejournal.yorasakiedu.com/jmpi/article/view/3

Atikasari, N. A. (2020). Implementasi manajemen berbasis sekolah untuk meningkatkan mutu pendidikan. In Jurnal Bahana Manajemen Pendidikan. https://osf.io/b23mh/download

Baidowi, A. (2023). Strategi Implementasi Visi dan Misi dalam Meningkatkan Mutu Pendidikan. AL-MIKRAJ Jurnal Studi Islam Dan Humaniora, 4(02), 37–55. Retrieved from https://ejournal.insuriponorogo.ac.id/index.php/almikraj/article/view/4448

Chien, W.-C. (2022). A study on the correlations among elementary and junior high school principal leadership for learning, teacher leadership for learning, and student core competency: Perspective of competency-based education. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 67(3), 37–75. https://doi.org/10.6209/JORIES.202209_67(3).0002

Darmalaksana, W. (2020). Metode penelitian kualitatif studi pustaka dan studi lapangan. Pre-Print Digital Library UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, 1–6.

Doringin, F. (2020). The central role of school vision to strategize the change in elementary schools in Indonesia. In Elementary Education: Global Perspectives, Challenges and Issues of the 21st Century (pp. 27–40). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Fahra, S. A., & Syukri, M. (2025). The Role of the Madrasah Principal’s Supervision in Enhancing the Performance Quality of School Administrative Personnel. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(1), 195–208. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i1.719

Farida, & Ma’ruf, C. (2022). Thawalib | Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 4(1), 45–60.

Fauzi, I., Maimun, A., & Yasin, A. F. (2024). Principal leadership in the “Program Sekolah Penggerak” to improve teacher performance. Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 8(2), 563–579. https://doi.org/10.33650/al-tanzim.v8i2.8267

Fitriah, R., & Rahmah, E. N. (2020). Peran kepemimpinan visioner kepala sekolah dalam meningkatkan kualitas pembelajaran pendidikan agama Islam (PAI) di SMP Al-Hasra Depok. Qiro’ah: Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 10(1), 123–144. https://ejurnal.iiq.ac.id/index.php/qiroah/article/view/166

Fransiska, W., Harapan, E., & Tahrun, T. (2020). Pengaruh kepemimpinan visioner kepala sekolah dan disiplin guru terhadap kinerja guru sekolah dasar. Journal of Education Research, 1(3), 308–316. https://doi.org/10.37985/joe.v1i3.21

Ghavifekr, S., & Ramzy, M. I. (2020). Exploring effective leadership practices of private school principals to improve teachers’ academic excellence and students’ learning achievement. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 65(3), 123–156. https://doi.org/10.6209/JORIES.202009_65(3).0005

Guo, H., Alias, B. S., & Mamud, M. I. (2025). Interplay of principal instructional leadership, school organizational climate, and teacher job satisfaction: Evidence from secondary schools in Northwest China. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(4), 178–198. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.4.9

Hasanah, I. M., Asbari, M., & Wardah, H. (2024). Guru berkualitas: Esensi pendidikan bermutu. Journal of Information Systems and Management (JISMA), 3(3), 23–27.

Irwan, I., Nuryani, N., & Masruddin, M. (2023). Kolaborasi sekolah dengan orang tua dalam meningkatkan proses belajar peserta didik. Kelola: Journal of Islamic Education Management, 8(1), 131–154. https://doi.org/10.24256/kelola.v8i1.3556

Jamaluddin, J., Indasari, S., & ... (2022). Kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam penerapan manajemen berbasis sekolah di SMK Yapmi Makassar. Konferensi Nasional …. https://knia.stialanbandung.ac.id/index.php/knia/article/view/660

Karim, H. A. (2025). Relevansi kepemimpinan kepala sekolah MAN 4 Agam dalam perspektif Islam. EduYorasaki: Journal of Islamic Education Management, 1, 1–7. https://ejournal.yorasakiedu.com/jmpi/article/download/4/3

Khidayat Muslim, N. A. N., & Hidayat, Y. (2024). Kepemimpinan berbasis nilai-nilai Islami dalam meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan agama Islam di sekolah dasar. Jurnal Manajemen Dan Pendidikan Agama Islam, 2(4), 416–423. https://doi.org/10.61132/jmpai.v2i4.546

Liswati, T. W., Mustaji, Hariyati, N., & Uulaa, R. F. R. (2023). Actualization of principal’s visionary leadership in improving teacher skills in managing learning innovations in senior high schools. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 13(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2023-0005

Marjuki, Baidowi, A., Mujahidin, I., Fauzan, A., & Ni’mah, K. (2025). The Role of School Principals’ Leadership in Supporting the Climate and Well-Being of Teachers in Schools. AIJR Abstracts, 7(4), 59. https://abstracts.aijr.org/index.php/abs/article/view/66

Mira Febrina, Z. S. (2022). Implementasi manajemen mutu pendidikan di sekolah Islam. Thawalib | Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 4(1), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v4i1.193

Nasrulloh, M. A., & Lailiya, R. (2022). Kepemimpinan visioner kepala sekolah menengah kejuruan Darussalam Blokagung Tegalsari Banyuwangi. Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Darussalam, 3(2), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.30739/jmpid.v3i2.1318

Nasution, W. A., Siahaan, A., & Hasibuan, B. (2025). Principal’s Leadership in Forming Student Discipline. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(1), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i1.607

Nuraini, A. (2021). Standar kompetensi kepala sekolah menurut E. Mulyasa. Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau Repository.

Nurarfiansyah, L. T., Kholizah, N. A., Sani, D. A., Sembiring, D. F. Y., Ramadhani, P. S., Dermawan, M. M., Oktaviani, D., & Nasution, I. (2022). Upaya meningkatkan kompetensi profesional guru. Edupedia, 6(2), 148–160. https://doi.org/10.24269/ed.v6i2.1489

Nurfajriani, W. V. (2016). Triangulasi data dalam analisis data kualitatif. Jurnal Ilmiah Wahana Pendidikan, 10(September), 1–23.

Pandi, A. (2020). Kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam menerapkan manajemen berbasis sekolah di Sekolah Dasar Islam (SDI) Hidayatul Muhsinin Desa Pal IX Tahun Pelajaran …. IBTIDA’. https://journal.stitaf.ac.id/index.php/ibtida/article/view/154

Romero, C., & Krichesky, G. (2018). Interactive leadership in turbulent school climates: An exploratory study of high school principals from the City of Buenos Aires. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 46(2), 339–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143217720456

Saaduddin. (2020). Kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam manajemen sekolah efektif. Jamberita.Com.

Sam, R., Tieng, M., Yoeng, H., Chiv, S., Thay, S., & Saing, S. (2025). Exploring school principal leadership: A case study of upper secondary school in Northwestern Cambodia. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 8(10), e2025311. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2025311

Saputra, F. (2022). Kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam pemberdayaan manajemen sekolah. SKILLS: Jurnal Riset Dan Studi Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 46–56. https://doi.org/10.47498/skills.v1i1.1048

Sari, N. L. A. N. I., Muspawi, M., & Pratama, L. (2025). Transformational Leadership of School Principals in the Implementation of the Independent Curriculum. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(1), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i1.585

Sariakin, S., Yeni, M., Usman, M. B., Mare, A. S., Munzir, M., & Saleh, M. (2025). Fostering a productive educational environment: The roles of leadership, management practices, and teacher motivation. Frontiers in Education, 10, Article 1499064. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1499064

Seriyanti, N., Ahmad, S., & ... (2021). Pengaruh kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dan peran komite sekolah terhadap keberhasilan manajemen berbasis sekolah. https://jurnal.univpgri-palembang.ac.id/index.php/JMKSP/article/view/3922

Shava, G. N., & Heystek, J. (2019). Agency and structure: Principals’ ability to bring about sustainable improvement in underperforming schools in South Africa. Africa Education Review, 16(2), 50–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2017.1340809

Slamet, Yanto, H., Wardani, S., & Yulianto, A. (2024). Implementation of quality assurance in SMP with school committees and participatory management: A case study in junior high schools in Indonesia. Revista de Gestao Social e Ambiental, 18(2), e03715. https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v18n2-043

Sriyanto, A. (2022). Kepemimpinan transformasional dalam upaya meningkatkan kinerja guru di SMP Muhammadiyah 3 Yogyakarta. MANAJERIAL: Jurnal Inovasi Manajemen Dan Supervisi Pendidikan, 2(2), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.51878/manajerial.v2i2.1424

Tanzeh, A., Fadhilah, D. A., Chotimah, C., Aziz, A., & Sukur, M. (2021). The importance of improving education quality and principal leadership in improving school competitiveness. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management, 9(4), 17–31.

Ubaidillah, M., Imron, A., Wiyono, B. B., & Arifin, I. (2018). Innovation leadership in improving the quality of education. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 9(7), 1288–1299.

West, E. (2025). You are safe, you are loved, you are welcome here: Building a culture of belonging through visionary leadership. In The value of vision in leadership (pp. 1–28). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-2392-3.ch001

Yusuf, F. A., & Basrowi, B. (2023). Pengaruh kepemimpinan visioner dan manajemen berbasis sekolah terhadap kinerja guru dan implikasinya pada kualitas PAUD. Jurnal Obsesi: Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini. https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v7i3.4289

Zainuddin, M. ., Citriadin, Y., & Thohri, M. (2025). Principal Managerial Competence in Administering the Full Day School Program at Pondok Pesantren Tahfizul Qur’an Darussomad. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(1), 99–110. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i1.590

Zebua, S., Haluk, P., Pinoa, S. A., Kahfi, A., & Dzulhasnan, A. H. (2025). The Influence of Principal’s Leadership Style and Work Motivation on Teacher Performance. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(1), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i1.628

Downloads

Published

2025-10-16

How to Cite

Anas, I., Sesmiarni, Z., Sunani, E., Ahmed, A., & Ibad, A. Z. (2025). Visionary Leadership of School Principals in Enhancing the Quality of Education. Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 6(2), 287–296. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v6i2.531

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025): Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Iqbal Anas, Zulfani Sesmiarni, Eneng Sunani, Abdal Ahmed, Akhmad Zaenul Ibad

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.