SWOT-Based Strategic Analysis for Improving Primary School Teacher Performance in Geographically Diverse Areas: Evidence from Muna Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Teacher performance improvement in geographically diverse regions cannot be achieved through uniform professional development policies. This study identifies the internal and external determinants that shape primary school teacher performance in Muna Regency, Indonesia, and formulates context-sensitive strategic priorities using a SWOT framework. A qualitative case-study design was employed. Data were generated through in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions, participant observation, and document analysis involving 49 informants: 21 teachers, 21 principals, one school supervisor, three district education officials, and three parents. Participants represented schools with A, B, and C accreditation statuses across urban, coastal, and inland settings. Thematic analysis was combined with Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS), External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS), and a SWOT strategy matrix. Teacher commitment, professional experience, active school leadership, collaborative practices, supervisory support, and high-performing schools as sources of good practice constituted the principal strengths. Uneven competence, limited digital capability, insufficient post-training mentoring, inadequate facilities, low non-civil-service teacher welfare, administrative burden, and inconsistent supervision were the main weaknesses. Opportunities included national teacher-quality policies, the Merdeka Curriculum, data-based planning, educational technology, university partnerships, and district training programmes. Geographic isolation, transport barriers, weak connectivity, budget limitations, accreditation disparities, policy changes, and declining motivation among underpaid teachers constituted major threats. The IFAS-EFAS assessment positioned the sampled case in the Weakness-Threat quadrant, requiring a defensive yet developmental strategy; these scores are qualitative prioritisation outputs from the case rather than population estimates for all primary schools in Muna Regency. The study proposes a holistic-contextual model integrating competence, welfare, motivation, and work-environment support, differentiated by geography and school accreditation. The findings demonstrate that geography should be treated as a strategic contingency in teacher performance management rather than merely as a background condition.