The Implementation Gap in Education Policy and School Participation: A Case Study of Sanggau Regency

Abstract

This study examines how gaps between national education policy design and local implementation relate to school participation in Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It focuses on three connected dimensions: the implementation of education regulations, the governance of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds, and the geographical and institutional conditions affecting access to education in a border region. The study aims to identify the principal mechanisms through which policy and resource-allocation arrangements may fail to address local educational needs and to formulate context-sensitive recommendations for improving equitable participation. Using a descriptive qualitative design based on library research, the study analyzes policy and regulatory documents, official statistical publications, government reports, and relevant empirical studies. The materials are examined through content analysis and thematic synthesis, with findings cross-checked across documentary sources. According to the secondary data cited in the manuscript, Sanggau has the highest estimated proportion of out-of-school children aged 7–17 in West Kalimantan (11.98%) and the lowest secondary-school participation rate (52.88%). The analysis identifies interacting barriers: a per-student BOS allocation formula that may constrain small schools, reported damage to school facilities in border areas, uneven teacher distribution and qualifications, long travel distances, and limited digital infrastructure. These findings suggest that formal policy commitments alone are insufficient when funding rules and implementation arrangements do not account for the costs of delivering services in geographically isolated communities. The study contributes a context-specific account linking education-policy implementation, school-finance governance, and school participation within one border-region case. It recommends reviewing financing arrangements for small and remote schools, strengthening transparent and participatory budget oversight, improving teacher deployment and support, and coordinating infrastructure and access interventions. Because the study relies on secondary sources, the reported statistics and causal interpretations should be validated against their original datasets and official records before policy decisions are made.