Collaborative Leadership to Manage Virtual School in Island and Border Areas

Abstract

The border region serves as a gateway that can easily be influenced by internal and external factors, making it a geopolitically significant area. This region is often referred to as a frontier or gray area, affected by the influence of neighboring countries. This research aims to explore the implementation of collaborative leadership in managing virtual schools in Indonesia's island and border areas. The study employs a descriptive qualitative design and involves stakeholders such as schools, universities, teachers, students, parents, and education offices in the regions. The research findings revealed the need for collaborative leadership in all levels of education in Indonesia, including elementary, middle, higher, and universities. All stakeholders, such as schools, universities, teachers, students, parents, and regional education offices, must be involved in this process. The research identified several fundamental issues in implementing education in archipelagic and border regions, including the long distances and travel time between islands, inadequate educational facilities due to limited funding, and a shortage of qualified teachers. One of the reasons behind the limited number of teachers is that the teaching profession is less attractive to island communities due to insufficient economic income.