The Role of School Principals in Improving the Quality of Learning

. SMK, an educational institution focused on producing graduates capable of finding employment, pursuing further study, or starting their own business, becomes a strategically crucial educational institution to generate graduates prepared for the workforce. This study clarifies how school principals might raise the standard of instruction at SMKN 1 Ciomas. A descriptive qualitative research method was employed. At SMKN 1 Ciomas Bogor, this study was carried out. The head of the study program, students, the vice principal of curriculum and student affairs, and the principal were all interviewed. Every document about the research issue is examined through document studies. Data reduction, data presentation, data verification, and data collecting are all used in data analysis procedures. As part of his leadership responsibilities, the principal of SMKN 1 Ciomas plans and develops programs for teachers and students. He then works with businesses and industry to implement the programs and provides orientation to goods and services. Finally, he supervises and evaluates the students' learning as it occurs.


INTRODUCTION
The role of school principals in ensuring students receive high-quality education that enables them to compete on a national and international scale is crucial.Under Law Number 20 of 2003, educational institutions are mandated to produce moral, pious, and skilled individuals who are in demand in society and the workplace.This mandate, which is anticipated to reduce unemployment in Indonesia, underscores the pivotal role of school principals in vocational education.
According to BPS data, Indonesia's jobless rate surged to 7.86 million individuals in 2023.
Education, particularly vocational education, is a potent tool in addressing this problem.
Vocational High School (SMK), one of the educational facilities established by the Indonesian government, plays a significant role in lowering unemployment and boosting the country's economy.Students can work, pursue entrepreneurship, and employ the learning-by-doing approach while enrolled in SMK, according to Baitullah and Wagiran (2019).Naturally, the Principal's role in overseeing it is centered on learning (Hidayat et al., 2019).To this end, the curriculum focuses on psychomotor, affective, and cognitive aspects; it is specifically oriented toward real needs in the field; it requires adequate facilities and infrastructure; it requires community support; and it examines aspects of (1) individual performance in the workplace; (4) curriculum focus on these aspects; (5) success benchmarks are not limited to schools; and (6) require adequate facilities and infrastructure (Mas, n.d.).
Since education is the main focus of schools (Irwan Maulana, 2022), school administrators must have a plan for managing their students' learning.This plan should include lesson planning, learning implementation, and learning evaluation (By, n.d.).The Principal is required to put this learning technique into practice to shape education around what graduates require.
Through vocational education, one can develop experts in particular subjects based on their talents and interests.Building communication, trust, motivation, and facilities with the business and industrial sectors is crucial for school principals to foster positive learning interactions (Ihsani et al., 2020).(Rusman, 2020) Furthermore, through internship programs, study abroad chances, and other educational opportunities, students can integrate into the commercial and industrial world and potentially secure employment once they graduate (Yohana, 2020).SMKN 1 Ciomas Bogor, a school located on Jl-Raya Laladon in Ciomas District, Bogor Regency, West Java, offers programs in animation, broadcasting and film, automotive engineering, and welding engineering.Students at SMKN 1 Ciomas Bogor are emphasized on the ability to generate goods in the form of services and goods.The Principal uses partnerships with the commercial and industrial sectors and teacher and student internship programs to enhance the quality of education while honing modern skills and knowledge.
Consequently, to achieve education and learning goals and create high-quality learning, the Principal's role is to direct, influence, organize, and mobilize others involved in developing educational science and implementing education and learning (Apriana et al., 2019).

METHOD
A qualitative methodology is used in this study.Studying locations, occasions, and actors to understand field phenomena is a qualitative approach (Sugiono, 2020).SMKN 1 Ciomas Bogor was the location of this study.Techniques for gathering data include interviews, documentation studies, data analysis methods, and observation using observation techniques (Sugiono, 2020).Observations were conducted by observing events that took place at SMKN 1 Ciomas.Heads of study programs, curriculum, and student affairs vice principals, principals, and students were critical informants for the organized and unstructured interviews.Every piece of information about the research issue is examined in documentation studies.Data collection, reduction, presentation, and verification are how data analysis techniques are implemented.

Making Plans
Vice principals of curriculum, student affairs, the head of the study program, and educators were involved in the planning process, which SMKN 1 Ciomas Bogor's principal oversaw.In order to fulfill the school's vision and goal, planning must first address the following three areas: (1) administration, (2) teaching and learning activities, and (3) process.The catchphrase for SMKN 1 Ciomas Bogor is "SMK Center of Excellence."The principal designed a curriculum for teachers and students to create a better vocational school.
The principal also conditions teachers to consider how their kids might make money while adhering to religious and legal restrictions.In order to achieve the goals of developing SMKnamely, employment, business, or further education-the principal cultivates this mindset.1) Inhouse training, 2) internships, and 3) training are programs designed specifically for educators.
With the help of in-house training, educators should be able to administer tasks, think critically, and possess other relevant abilities.An internship program is implemented to provide instructors with the most recent information and abilities in the workplace and industry.To become proficient in their chosen fields, teachers must undergo training that focuses on developing their personality, pedagogy, social skills, and professional competence.
Other options for students include training, internships, and teaching factories.The training program aims to familiarize students with current social issues, the internship program aims to equip students with knowledge and skills relevant to the industrial and work worlds, and the teaching factory program aims to enable students to produce goods and services.

Put into Practice
Principal execution is accomplished by two methods: (1) planning and (2) carrying out.
The goal of organizing is to provide independent support for every developed program.The head of the study program and the vice principal of the student curriculum are the subordinates to whom the delegation is delegated to carry out the rollout.
Planning is the foundation for implementation, which aims to raise the standard of

Assessing and Monitoring
Here at SMKN 1 Ciomas, evaluation and supervision happen simultaneously.The headmaster audits the instructors' behavior every day to keep an eye on their discipline.In order to review various findings, particularly in the academic field of the school, the principal conducts monthly evaluations through planned sessions.Teachers are required to complete written and practical quarterly evaluations through UTS.Conducting UTS is intended to assess students' prior knowledge and skills.A six-month assessment is an upcoming assessment.With the use of UAS, this six-month assessment is conducted.According to the standards established at SMKN 1 Ciomas, this UAS program aims to assess students' level of competency to propel them to the next level.In the course of the implementation phase, the principal provides oversight.This supervision aims to ensure the plans are implemented in a way that aligns with them.
When it comes to an activity, planning is the most critical phase.According to Irwan Maulana (2023), planning becomes a reference point in learning activities.What, why, where, when, who, and how questions can all be addressed by proactive analysis and planning (Badrudin, 2019).Planning was done by the Head of SMKN 1, Ciomas, who examined the goals, including teaching his pupils how to make money and create commodities and services.
According to Apriana et al. (2019), this is communicated to graduates to encourage them to be innovative in their income-generating and job-saving ideas.Superintendents of schools should concentrate on how curriculum and educational policies can affect the caliber of instruction.
Establishing absolute and relative learning quality educational frameworks is crucial for schools (Halawa & Mulyanti, 2023).
As per Mailool et al. (2020), the principal's role involves comprehending the issues faced by the school, analyzing problems proficiently, and assessing the implementation efforts made.
To achieve these objectives, the Head of SMKN 1 Ciomas cultivates connections with businesses in the business and industrial domains to (1) offer educational opportunities to students and (2) identify the needs and bridge the gap between the workforce and the company.Additionally, there exists a company curriculum that is employed by teaching factories as well as internships.The goal is for students to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.Of course, educational institutions can use this as an internally motivated project (Irwan Maulana, 2022).
Based on a review of critical concerns in society and industry, as well as the skills that graduates of the school must possess, the training program is designed to prepare students for the workforce.This training aims to provide supplementary knowledge on juvenile delinquency, literacy, and the advancement of commerce and industry.It is delivered through seminars or other such means.The curriculum's emphasis on psychomotor, affective, and cognitive aspects should be prioritized.Orientation to individual performance in the workplace, real needs in the field, curriculum focus on these areas, success benchmarks not limited to schools, adequate facilities and infrastructure, and community support should all be emphasized in the program's implementation.Instructing students on the orientation above is crucial.Mas (n.d.).(1) to integrate HOTS; (2) to manage administrative tasks; (3) to enhance teacher competency; and (4) to acquire other necessary skills.According to Irwan Maulana (2023), instructors are the driving force behind educational advancement; hence, this has to be done.
The six-month internship is conducted at the locations of businesses that have partnered with the educational institution.Under this scenario, educators must be able to acquire and apply the most recent information and abilities found in the business and industrial sectors.

Assessing and Monitoring
According to Badrudin (2019), evaluation is the process of determining the effectiveness of educational institutions.An applied program's effectiveness is to be measured and ascertained through evaluation.Weekly assessments can be conducted by questions or other means deemed pertinent by the educational institution.The knowledge and abilities of students can be gauged through daily assessments.The assessment process is conducted every three semesters using written exam questions, practice exams, and other methods during midterm exams.Over six months, students' knowledge, abilities, and attitudes can be assessed through the Final Semester Examination, written tests, and other means.
Weekly evaluations are conducted by the Head of SMKN 1 Ciomas, in which teachers assign practice questions to their pupils.Teachers want to know how far pupils can master competencies, so this evaluation is done.Additionally, the principal uses regular meetings to carry out monthly reviews.Specifically, the teacher council is holding this meeting to talk about other significant issues that need to be resolved in addition to the efficacy of the school program that is being implemented.UTS and UAS use oral and practical tests to administer midterm and semester assessments.Assessing students' mastery of possessed competencies is the goal of administering UTS and UAS.
The words "super" and "vision" make into the word supervision.internships and teaching factories.The implementation of these programs is carried out by the principal in collaboration with companies, the business world and industry and students are directed to be able to produce products, both goods and services.Supervision and evaluation are instruction at SMKN 1 Ciomas.The curriculum division vice principal oversees the implementation of the in-house training program, which is designed with teachers' needs in mind.Teachers who participate in In-House Training are also given access to resources that help them develop their HOTS (High-Order Thinking abilities), administrative management, and other necessary abilities, such as digital literacy and advanced curriculum development.All educators participate in this in-house training program.Teachers in study programs undergo a six-month implementation phase of the Teacher Internship Program.Following the company's curriculum, this internship has been implemented for over six months.In addition to learning more about how children require the newest skills, this internship program for teachers aims to enhance their knowledge and abilities in the workplace.The vice principal is in charge of carrying out the teacher training program.Both the government and other institutions may satisfy this training need.Strengthening the learning done at SMKN1 Ciomas is the primary goal of this software.Education factories, internships, and training programs are available to students.Students placed in organizations and businesses partnered with the school execute Teaching Factory.The principal highlighted that future production of goods and services is among the pupils' skills.Companies that have partnered with the school and follow the company-created curricula host the six-month internship program.Students are welcome to participate in internship programs that offer them learning opportunities, particularly in the commercial and industrial sectors.The training course comes next.In order to conduct training in the form of seminars and other similar formats to discuss issues that are currently prevalent in the community as well as other skills like drug prevention and writing training, the Vice Principal of Curriculum works in conjunction with the Vice Principal of Student Affairs to carry out this program.The government, business, and industry representatives, as well as internal teachers, were invited by the principal in this instance.This curriculum aims to help students develop new and additional abilities and increase their awareness of the harmful effects in society.
The principal has worked to improve the quality of education by setting up internship programs, teaching factories, student and teacher training, and in-house training, internships, and training.The principal fosters a positive environment in this area by encouraging teachers to consistently up their game.According to Abdul Halik and St. Wardah Hanafie Das (2019), the principal is the workplace environment's manager, leader, and architect.In order to improve the competitiveness of Indonesian human resources, Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2016 concerning the Revitalization of Vocational Schools was created.This mandate calls for collaboration amongst stakeholders to support enhancing SMK quality, with each party carrying out their assigned responsibilities and duties.As per Roesminingsih et al. (2022), the Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the following tasks: 1. Creating a vocational development road map 2. Improving the SMK curriculum and matching it with graduate users' competencies 3. Increasing the number and caliber of vocational educators and education personnel 4. Stepping up collaboration with ministries/agencies, local governments 5. Expanding SMK graduates' access to certification and vocational accreditation 6. Starting a working group on vocational development Put into Practice Program implementation might be considered the act of implementing a program.Badrudin (2019) lists implementation as one of the roles of management science.According to Falah et al. (2023), implementation refers to carrying out structured programs.Currently, the principal serves as both a director and a supervisor in this implementation (Irwan Maulana, 2022).Two programs have been created, one for students and the other for teachers.The headmaster is in charge of carrying out the programs.Students can enroll in the following programs: (1) Teaching Factory, (2) Internships, and (3) Training.By leveraging the ties currently in place, teaching factories operate.Students are expected to be able to create goods as well as services in this instructional factory.Locations partnered with SMKN 1 Ciomas are the sites of the six-month internship initiative.A teacher is assigned to supervise when the internship is implemented in groups.
three program implementation components for teachers is in-house training.The other two are internships.A Vice Principal of Curriculum oversight is in place for this inhouse training program.In partnership with the West Java Provincial Education Office, in-house classroom training is conducted.For the following reasons, in-house training is being conducted: Furthermore, according to the planned schedule, business, industry, and the West Java Provincial Education Office, all conduct their training.The objectives of this are to enhance the autonomous curriculum, develop teacher competencies, streamline administrative procedures, and Develop additional necessary skills.The purpose of Vocational High Schools (SMK) is to prepare graduates for the following: a) Entering the workforce and being able to develop professional attitudes within the scope of business and management expertise; b) Choosingareer, being able to compete, and being able to develop themselves in the scope of business and management; c) Becoming-level workforce to meet the current and future needs of the business and industrial world in the field of business and management; an d) Being productive, adaptable, and creative citizens.Al These programs are implemented to support Government Regulation Number 19 of 2005, National Education Standards Article 26 paragraph 3.
Purtri et al. (2019) note that the word "supervision" also originates from the English verb "to supervise."So that the intended software can function as envisioned, supervision is essential.Government Regulation Number 13 of 2007 concerning Principal/Madrasah Standards outlines the five competencies the principal must possess to carry out supervision.These competencies are: 1) Plan an Academic Supervision Program to Improve Teacher Professionalism; 2) Carry out supervision; and 3) Follow up on supervisory results.Both direct and indirect supervision were provided for program planning by the principal of SMKN 1 Ciomas.Improving the quality of learning is the goal of the principal's oversight.The head of the study program, the deputy head of curriculum, and the principal oversee academic supervision, which evaluates the efficiency of instruction and the management and attainment of student competencies.Program planning and program implementation are the two areas of supervision that are handled at SMKN 1 Ciomas.Solutions are found based on the problem once data from the outcomes of this supervision are reviewed and pursued.CONCLUSION The role of the principal in improving learning is carried out through three things, namely planning, implementation, and supervision of evaluation.The principal formulated the program into two things, first the program for teachers and second the program for learners.Programs for teachers include In House Traning and Teacher Apprentices.Programs for students are