Challenges of Inclusive-Responsive Leadership in Public High Schools: Mapping the Socio-Cultural and Policy Contexts

Sitti Habibah 1 Indonesia
1 Administrasi Pendidikan, Universitas Negeri Makassar
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Published 2026-06-05
Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026) PAGES 1906-1920
DOI 10.51574/ijrer.v5i3.5001
Views / Downloads 47 46

Despite national mandates for inclusive education, implementing inclusive-responsive leadership in Indonesian public high schools faces complex hurdles. This study maps the challenges of inclusive-responsive leadership by examining the socio-cultural and policy contexts within public high schools in South Sulawesi, exploring how school leaders navigate the gap between formal inclusion regulations and local cultural expectations. Employing a qualitative approach, a multi-site case study design was utilized across several schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with principals and policy stakeholders, alongside regional policy document analysis, and interpreted using thematic analysis focusing on leadership adaptability. The results reveal three primary challenges: (1) policy-practice decoupling, where inclusive regulations lack technical guidelines for local execution; (2) socio-cultural barriers, including traditional paradigms viewing inclusion as a peripheral value; and (3) resource scarcity, specifically a lack of specialized pedagogical training for leaders. The study finds that while leaders show high commitment, their actions are restricted by a compliance-based rather than a value-based approach. This research contributes to educational leadership discourse by providing a localized mapping of inclusion challenges in a non-Western context. It offers insights for policymakers to harmonize national standards with socio-cultural specificities, advocating for a leadership model that is both policy-compliant and culturally responsive.

Habibah, S. (2026). Challenges of Inclusive-Responsive Leadership in Public High Schools: Mapping the Socio-Cultural and Policy Contexts. ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review , 5(3), 1906–1920. https://doi.org/10.51574/ijrer.v5i3.5001
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Keywords
Educational Policy Inclusive Education Public High Schools Socio-Cultural Context South Sulawesi