Aligning school zoning with educational equity

Administrative and leadership challenges in Indonesia

Abstract

This article examines whether Indonesia’s school zoning policy promotes educational equality and equity, and what its implementation reveals about educational administration and leadership. Focusing on Bangka Belitung Province, an archipelagic region with marked rural–urban variation, the study employed a mixed-methods design combining 25 focus group discussions with school principals, teachers, and administrative staff, as well as a survey of 300 parents and guardians across urban and rural districts. Quantitative analysis included t-tests, one-way ANOVA, linear regression, and multilevel models to capture individual- and school-level factors, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings showed that zoning may support equality of access by distributing students more evenly across schools. However, equity gaps persist where rural–urban resource disparities, uneven teacher capacity, and limited support systems constrain school quality. Perceptions of fairness also varied across stakeholder groups, with mothers, younger parents, and families in private schools reporting lower perceived equity. Multilevel results suggest that school-level structural factors exert only a modest influence on perceptions, highlighting the importance of school leadership and administrative practices. For educational administrators, the findings indicate that admission policies alone cannot ensure equitable outcomes, particularly in geographically dispersed islands settings where uneven service access shapes schooling opportunities. The article contributes evidence from an under-researched archipelagic context and offers practical insights for school leaders seeking to align zoning with educational justice. Beyond Indonesia, the findings may be relevant to education systems using proximity-based admissions under decentralised governance, especially in rural areas or resource-constrained settings.