Principal Leadership and Working Conditions and Its Impact on Teacher Stress in Indonesian Elementary Schools
The quality of learning is influenced not only by teachers themselves but also by the working conditions within schools. This study aims to examine the potential impact of school principal leadership and working conditions on the work-related stress facing Catholic elementary school teachers in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province. To achieve this objective, a quantitative approach using a survey research design was employed. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis technique using both simple and multiple linear regression techniques. For accurate and reliable analysis, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 21, was utilized. The data analysis revealed that school principal leadership and working conditions exert a negative and statistically significant influence on teacher work-related stress in Catholic elementary schools in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, Indonesia. These findings underscore the critical role of effective leadership and supportive work environments in mitigating teacher stress. As such, they call for strategic and evidence-based interventions by regional education policymakers—particularly initiatives aimed at strengthening school leadership capacity and creating more conducive working conditions. These efforts are essential not only for reducing teacher stress but also for fostering a healthier, more sustainable teaching profession that ultimately enhances the overall quality of education.
Keywords: school principal, leadership, working conditions, teacher, work-related stress
