MARGINALIZATION OF FEMALE TEACHERS IN THE APPOINMENT OF HEADMASTERS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN DENPASAR CITY

I Wayan Citrawan

Teachers’ Training College of PGRI Bali

Seroja Street, Tonja, Denpasar

email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Partiality between male and female teachers in regard to the appointment of the headmasters of public schools in Denpasar has taken place. This study was intended to understand the matters pertaining to the marginalization of female teachers in the appointment of the headmasters of public schools in Denpasar City.The data were obtained using the techniques of observation, in-depth interview, and documentation study. The data were descriptively, qualitatively, and interpretatively analyzed. The theories used were the theories of Feminism, Hegemony,Theory of Power/Knowledge, and Deconstruction. The results of the study were as follows. The government regulation was not optimally applied. The female teachers were considered having insufficient capability. They were still regarded as the second in the selection process, and they were assumed to be in the domestic domain; as a result, the access to their development was obstructed. The internal factors included competition and commitment and the external ones included patriarchal ideology, the government policy and less support from their colleagues and administrative staff at the schools where they work. The impacts of the marginalization of the female teachers were that they intended to improve themselves and to submit to their fate. The other impact was that they got disappointed and obstructed to realize gender impartiality. Philosophically, the marginalization of the female teachers meant that there was no gender partiality and self actualization.

Keywords: marginalization, female teachers, and headmasters.

INTRODUCTION

Males and females have equal rights to various things (Tilaar, 2002: 94). However, in fact, there are many partialities between males and females in various aspects of life in general and in education in particular. According to the data prepared by Lembaga Penjamin Mutu Pendidikan (LPMP) of Bali Province in 2010, the number of female teachers appointed headmasters was extremely limited. Among 12 public junior high schools in Denpasar City, only two were led by female headmasters; they were Public Junior High School 7 Denpasar and Public Junior High School 12 Denpasar. Among 8 Public Senior High Schools in Denpasar, none was led by a female headmaster. In relation to that, the problems of the present study were what was the marginalization of the female teachersin the appointment of the headmasters of Public Junior High School 2 Denpasar and Public Senior High School 6 Denpasar like, what factors contributing to it, and what were its impact and meaning. In general, the present study was intended to reveal and understand the matters pertaining to the marginalization of the female teachers in the appointment of the headmasters of Public

Junior High School 2 Denpasar and Public Senior High School 6 Denpasar. In particular, the present study was intended to identify the form of the marginalization, the factors contributing to it, and its impact and meaning.

It was expected that the present study would be practically and theoretically useful. Theoretically, it was expected that the results of the present study could give contribution to the development of education in general, the aspects of the leadership of female teachers in particular. It was also expected that the results of the present study could be used as a reference in the next wider and deeper research particularly exploring the leadership of female headmasters. In practice, it was expected that the results of the present study could be used as input for female leaders in improving their professionalism as leaders, would give information and input to the Department of Education and related institutions in making decisions and appointing female teachers as headmasters in Denpasar City, and could be used as one of the supporting materials for creating equality in gender.

RESEARCH METHOD

The study was conducted at SMPN 2 (Public Junior High School 2) and SMAN 6 (Public Senior High School 6) Denpasar. The consideration was that the number of the female teachers appointed headmasters in Denpasar City was limited. The primary data were collected using the techniques of observation and in-depth interview, and the secondary data were collected through documentation study. The data used in the present study were qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data were in the forms of spoken and written statements or narrationsobtained from the interview and observation. The quantitative data were in the form of figures and used to support the secondary data. The quantitative data were taken from the documents prepared by LPMP of Bali Province, statistic data and the data prepared by the schools.

The data were obtained from primary data source and secondary data source. The primary data were directly obtained from the informants whom were purposively selected. They were in the form of words, actions, and photographs. The secondary data were obtained from written sources such as the documents which were relevant to the problems of the present study. Then the data were descriptively and interpretatively presented, and the results were formally and informally presented.

The theories used in the present study were the theory of feminism proposed by Simone de Beavoir (Arvia, 2003: 15) and the theory of hegemony proposed by Gramsci (Patrio & Arief, 1999: 119). They were used to analyze the forms of the marginalization and the factors leading to it. The theory of power and knowledge proposed by Fuocault(Piliang, 2003) was used to identify the relation of power in the process of the selection of

headmasters. This theory was good to excavate the factors contributing to the marginalization of the female teachers in the appointment of the headmasters of SMPN 2 and SMAN 6 Denpasar. The theory of deconstruction proposed by Derrida (Barker, 2009: 406) was used to reveal the meaning why the female teachers were marginalized in the appointment of headmasters.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The marginalization of the female teachers in the appointment of the headmasters of SMPN 2 and SMAN 6 Denpasar could be seen from the facts that the government regulation was not optimally applied; in other words, the process of the appointment of headmasters was not in accordance with the applicable regulation. The government neglected the ability and experience the female teachers had in the process of the appointment of the headmasters. They were regarded as the second. From the social construction, they were regarded as being subordinate in various activities, including in the process of the appointment of headmasters. They were assumed that they could not be separated from domestic affairs; as a result, they were obstructed in the development of their career. They wished that they had been justly treated and played the same roles as males in their daily dimension to be headmasters. Considering that they were considered subordinates in the schools where they teach, what they demanded for was reasonable.

The factors causing the female teachers to be marginalized in the appointment of the headmasters of SMPN 2 and SMAN 6 Denpasar could be classified into two; the internal and external factors. The internal factors included competence and commitment. The headmasters should be competent in personality, management, entrepreneurship, and supervision. In addition, they should also be socially competent. They should highly be committed to sacrificing their time and labor for doing what they are supposed to be responsible for. The female headmasters are assumed not to be so highly committed to this thing as the male ones. The external factors included the patriarchal ideology, government policy and less support from the colleagues. The patriarchal ideology means that the males were more superior to the females and that the former dominated the latter. The Balinese people still strongly adhered to this ideology. The actualization was that in social structure the males were seen to dominate the females in many ways. What is meant by the government policy in this case was that the Department of Education, Youth and Sports still treated the female teachers as what is referred to as “subaltern”; they were still regarded as “inferior”. They felt that they were dominated and were disappointed with the government policy in the recruitment process of the headmasters; the regulations were not fully referred to.

One of the positive impacts of the marginalization of the female teachers in the appointment of the headmasters of SMPN 2 Denpasar and SMAN 6 Denpasar was that they desired to improve themselves although they failed to be the headmasters; they were not frustrated; they desired to take part in the process of the appointment of headmasters in the future. The other positive impact was that they submitted to their fate although they had been unfairly treated; they accepted the decision that they failed. One of the negative impacts was that they were disappointed and obstructed in creating gender equality. They felt that the Decree of the Department of National Education Number 162/U/2003 concerning the guidance of the selection of the candidates of headmasters was not entirely applied. The selection should have been done in two stages rather than in one stage. The fact that gender equality was not created was not in accordance with the Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2000 concerning Gender Equality, which has been intended to give equal access to both males and females to the process of development including the process of the appointment of headmasters.

The meanings of the marginalization of the female teachers in the process of the appointment of headmasters are as follows. (a) Philosophically, the marginalization of the female teachers in the appointment of headmasters was defined as something which was merely subjective. (b) Gender equality; working as teachers/headmasters meant that the female teachers enhanced gender equality. The accessibility to being teachers and headmasters for males and females meant enhancing gender equality and giving contribution to the schools where they teach. And (c) the meaning of actualization; the female teachers were proud of being able to improve their quality by attending postgraduate studies (S2) and the training courses assigned by their superiors or voluntarily attended. Although the female teachers failed to be headmasters, the knowledge and skill they acquired could be used to develop themselves as teachers, meaning that the quality of education would improve.

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

From what was described above, several conclusions could be drawn. First, there were several reasons why the female teachers were marginalized in the process of the appointment of the headmasters of SMPN 2 Denpasar and SMAN 6 Denpasar. First, the government, in this case, Tim Pertimbangan Pengangkatan Kepala Sekolah, did not fully pay attention to the guidance of the selection of headmasters as prescribed in the Decree of the Ministry of National Education Number 162/U/2003 and the Regulation of the National Government of the Republic of Indonesia Number 13 of 2007 concerning the Standard of Headmasters. In addition, the female teachers were assumed to be the second in the

process of selection; they were assumed to be busy with domestic affairs; as a result, their career was becoming obstructed. Second, the factors causing the female teachers to be marginalized in the process of the appointment of headmasters could be classified into two; the internal factors and external factors. The external factors included the fact that the government, in this case, Tim Pertimbangan Pengangkatan Kepala Sekolah, was not convinced of the female teachers’ competence and commitment, the government policy, the patriarchal ideology, and less support from the colleagues where they teach. Third, the positive impact of the marginalization of the female teachers in the appointment of the headmasters of SMPN 2 Denpasar and SMAN 6 Denpasar was that they desired to improve themselves and submitted to their fate. The negative impact was that they were disappointed and obstructed in creating gender equality.

First, it is suggested that the government, through Tim Pertimbangan Pengangkatan Kepala Sekolah, should be more transparent in the process of the appointment of headmasters by paying attention to the guidance of the selection of headmasters prescribed in the Decree of the Ministry of National Education Number 162/U/2003 dated 24 October 2003 and the Regulation of the National Government of the Republic of Indonesia Number 13 of 2007 concerning the Standard of Headmasters. If these were referred to, all the candidates of headmasters could present their competences before Tim Pertimbangan Pengangkatan Kepala Sekolah. Second, it is suggested to the teachers and administrative staff that they should give priority to objectivity when giving their support so the headmasters they select will be better. Third, the candidates should prepare themselves so that they will be competent in management, personality, entrepreneurship and supervision.In addition, they should also be socially competent. In this way, they will be able to do optimally what they are supposed to do in the present global era.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In this opportunity, the writer would like to thank and highly appreciate Prof. Dr. I Made Suastika, SU., Prof. Dr. Wayan Maba, and Prof. Dr. I Gde Semadi Astra, as the main supervisor, co-supervisor I, and co-supervisor II respectively for their correction, supervision, input and suggestion.

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Citrawan, I Wayan. 2013. “Marginalisasi Perempuan Guru dalam Pengangkatan Kepala Sekolah: Studi Kasus di SMPN 2 dan SMAN 6 Denpasar”, disertasi, Program Doktor, Program Studi Kajian Budaya, Program Pascasarjana, Universitas Udayana, Denpasar.

Departemen Pendidikan Nasional DirektoratJendral Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah Direktorat Tenaga Kependidikan. 2004. Keputusan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional Republik Indonesia Nomor 162/U/2003. tentang Penugasan Guru sebagai Kepala Sekolah.

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