Principal Performance Evaluation and Educational Quality Assurance in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah: A Qualitative Inquiry into Strategic Leadership Practices in Indonesia

Abstract

Madrasah principal leadership is a crucial factor in improving school effectiveness, learning quality, and teacher professionalism. Although international literature emphasizes the importance of school leadership evaluation, empirical studies on madrasah principal performance evaluation as a quality assurance mechanism in Islamic education are still very limited. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the practice of madrasah principal performance evaluation in three Islamic elementary schools (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah) in Cirebon Regency, Indonesia. A qualitative approach with a multiple case study design was used to understand the actual practice of leadership evaluation within the quality assurance system. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis, involving madrasah principals, supervisors, teachers, and madrasah administrators. Thematic analysis revealed that madrasah principal performance evaluation serves as a dual accountability mechanism (internal and external), integrated within the evaluation management cycle that includes planning, implementation, reflection, and follow-up. Evaluation also encourages strengthening teacher professionalism through collaborative development programs and instructional leadership. However, the effectiveness of implementation is still influenced by limited supervisor capacity and cultural resistance to evaluation. These findings expand educational accountability theory and the Quality Assurance Framework, while also providing implications for policy development, leadership practices, and strengthening quality assurance systems in madrasas. This study confirms that madrasa principal performance evaluation is not merely an administrative mechanism, but a strategic instrument for continuous improvement in educational quality