Understanding The Gap Between Policy and Implementation of Vocational Secondary Education To Realize Sustainable Development: The Case of East Java Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: This research aims to analyze and describe the gap between vocational secondary education policies in East Java Province, Indonesia, and the actual situation to realize sustainable development. It is hoped that a regulation can be the right solution to improve the quality of vocational secondary school education and adapt to technological developments and the industry and business world needs. The articles in East Java Governor Regulation Number 22 of 2017 concerning the Revitalization Acceleration of Vocational High Schools in East Java Province still become a serious problem that needs attention. Policy implementation problems of vocational secondary education in East Java Province have not yet been resolved properly, including: (1) lack of communication between schools and the business world and industry caused the difficulty for schools in getting partners. However, this situation impacts students at the time they carry out industrial work practices. Even if they succeed in getting a partner, other problems often happen such as a mismatch between the skills program at school and the substance of the work carried out in industrial work practices. Besides, the duration of industrial work practice is inadequate, because it is generally practiced for less than 1 semester, and quite a few only happened within 3 months; (2) not all residents in East Java have access to quality vocational secondary education services due to the limited capacity of people with weak economic backgrounds, limited number of schools, and limited school capacity; (3) shortage of teachers both in number and competence; (4) there is still a long waiting period for vocational high school graduates to enter the workforce.   Theoretical framework: In general, the task of implementation is to establish a link that allows the goals of public policies to be realized as outcomes of governmental activity (Grindle, 2017). Policy implementation is the meaning of implementing laws where various actors, organizations, procedures, and techniques work together to achieve policies or program goals. (Stewart, Jr., J., Hedge, D.M., & Lester, 2008). Implementation is the process of translating policy into action. The implementation process is complicated and complex (Barrett, 2004). This needs to be understood because the implementation process involves the interaction of many variables as well as formulating delivery activity mechanisms. Complexity in the process often raises several problems. Edward III (1980) revealed that "Because the four factors are operating simultaneously and interacting with each other to aid or hinder policy implementation the ideal approach would be to reflect this complexity by discussing them all at once." This means that policy implementation works simultaneously and interacts with each other to support and hinder policy implementation, so the ideal approach is to reflect complexity by discussing factors that support the success of policy implementation which include communication, resources, implementing attitudes (disposition), and bureaucratic structures. The policy implementation model can be explained and analyzed by looking for relationships among the dimensions that form it, so it can explain an effective implementation.   Method: The research method used is qualitative conducted through interviews, observation, and document data. Interviews were conducted by stakeholders from the public and private sectors at regional and local levels. Researchers conducted document analysis related to regulations on the revitalization of vocational secondary education.   Results and Conclusions: The research results show the high rate of educated unemployment is caused by several aspects. Many vocational high schools do not have job training centers and 55 percent of vocational high schools do not have laboratories. However, not all aspects are strong, such as communication, human resources, implementing attitudes, and bureaucratic structure. Moreover, researchers found that a lack of coordination among actors caused the implementation process to run imperfectly.