Investigating the determinants of the Quality Evaluation Scores as indicators of students’ learning achievement of Senior High School at district/city in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the determinants of the Quality Evaluation scores (NEM) of Senior High Schools (SMA) at the district/city level in Indonesia. NEM is one of the indicators of student learning achievement that can reflect the quality of education in a region. This study uses secondary data sourced from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the Ministry of Education and Culture, and other related agencies. The analysis method used is multiple linear regression to identify factors that significantly influence the variation in the average NEM between regions. The independent variables analyzed include teacher education level, student-to-teacher ratio, proportion of A-accredited schools, human development index (HDI), and poverty level. The results of the study indicate that the quality of educators and school accreditation factors have a significant positive effect on the NEM score, while the poverty level is negatively correlated. These findings provide important implications for the formulation of more equitable and data-based education policies to improve the quality of education throughout Indonesia. The study's use of secondary data from reputable government sources enhances the reliability of its findings. The multiple linear regression analysis provides a robust framework for identifying key factors influencing regional variations in average NEM scores. The significant positive effects of educator quality and school accreditation, coupled with the negative impact of poverty, underscore the importance of addressing both educational and socioeconomic factors in policy formulation.