School Management Innovation for Equal Distribution of Education in Islands: Implications for Biology Education

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-596-1_15How to use a DOI?

Keywords

School Management; Education Equity; Biology Education; Island Regions; Virtual Laboratory; Budget Flexibility; Natural Laboratory

Abstract

This study analyzes the effectiveness of School Management Innovation (SMI) in achieving equitable quality of Biology education in challenging island regions. As an archipelagic nation, Indonesia faces significant educational disparities due to geographical constraints, limited infrastructure (such as laboratory facilities), and uneven teacher distribution. Employing a qualitative case study approach at three Senior High Schools (SMAN 12 Ambon, SMAN 50 Maluku Tengah, and SMAN 4 Ambon), this research identified two primary, successful innovation models: digital-based management and natural environment utilization. The findings demonstrate that adaptive SMI allows schools to overcome traditional barriers through a leapfrogging strategy. First, schools redefined the concept of a “Laboratory” by shifting the focus from expensive, corrosion-prone physical spaces to Virtual Labs and the Natural Environment (mangrove and coastal ecosystems). Second, managerial flexibility, particularly in budget reallocation, proved critical. For instance, the strategic re-routing of funds from physical lab equipment to digital facilities reduced costs and provided more functional, context-appropriate tools (magnifying glasses, snorkeling gear) for coastal research. This contextual management approach increased student interest and improved practical learning outcomes (average score rose from 65 to 82). The study concludes that equitable education relies not merely on material procurement, but on transforming school management into a flexible, locally-oriented, and adaptive paradigm.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Dorthea Adriaansz
AU  - Maria Tience Yulianingsih
AU  - Liyona Aty R. Puttileihalat
AU  - Mei Dayanty
AU  - Merlien Lessy
AU  - Hendelina Wael
AU  - Sundun Triwardani
AU  - Rasdin Tomia
AU  - Wahyu Parhitean Butar-Butar
AU  - Irwin Tabang
AU  - Rudolf Kempa
AU  - Paul Arjanto
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/26
TI  - School Management Innovation for Equal Distribution of Education in Islands: Implications for Biology Education
BT  - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Environmental Sciences, Agriculture, and Socioeconomics (ICESAS 2025
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 183
EP  - 194
SN  - 2468-5747
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-596-1_15
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-596-1_15
ID  - Adriaansz2026
ER  -