Journal of Social Work and Science Education
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2027): Forthcoming Issue

Servant Leadership and Teacher Performance in Islamic Educational Institutions: A Qualitative Case Study at MTsN Kota Binjai, Indonesia

Rizza Fikri Al-Faris (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia)
Inom Nasution (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia)
Yahfizham Yahfizham (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
12 Aug 2026

Abstract

The effectiveness of educational leadership is crucial for sustaining teacher performance, yet evidence on servant leadership in Islamic educational institutions remains limited. This study examines how a madrasah principal implements servant leadership to support teacher performance at MTsN Kota Binjai, Indonesia, including its supporting conditions, challenges, and resolution strategies. Using a descriptive qualitative case study, data were collected from 15 purposively selected participants through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and institutional documentation. The findings reveal four interconnected practices: altruistic calling through responsiveness to teachers’ professional needs; community building through collaborative interaction; empowerment through delegation and professional autonomy; and persuasion through humanistic alignment with the madrasah vision. A familial organizational culture, transparent financial governance, and technology-adaptive younger teachers supported implementation. Key challenges included role disorientation among some senior teachers, possible misinterpretation of humanistic leadership as disciplinary leniency, bureaucratic constraints, and limited time for individualized interaction. The principal addressed these challenges through cross-generational peer mentoring, informal communication forums, tactical funding, and progressive discipline combining counseling with accountability. The study shows that servant leadership is most sustainable when empowerment is balanced with structured support, transparent resource management, and clear professional boundaries.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jswse

Publisher

Subject

Religion Economics, Econometrics & Finance Education Environmental Science Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

The Journal of Social Work and Science Education (JSWSE) is firmly established as an authoritative voice in the world of social work and science education with E-ISSN: 2723-6919 and P-ISSN 2746-0827. JSWSE publishes scholarly papers that focus on the social science, teaching and learning, science in ...