The influence of school principal leadership, teachers’ creativity and motivation on teachers’ performance in vocational high schools in Bangka Regency

The school principal's leadership is crucial in creating a conducive work environment, providing clear guidance, and motivating teachers to perform at their best. Teacher creativity and motivation significantly impact their performance, affecting the overall education quality. Vocational education, such as SMKs, aims to prepare graduates for the workforce, emphasizing professionalism and productivity. This quantitative survey involved teachers from SMKs in Bangka Regency. A total of 170 teachers were selected using proportional multistage sampling. Data were collected through literature review, questionnaires, observations, and documentation. Statistical analyses included tests for normality, linearity, homoscedasticity, and multicollinearity, followed by descriptive statistics, classic assumption testing, multiple regression analysis, and path analysis. Path analysis revealed significant direct effects of teacher creativity and motivation on teacher performance in SMKs in Bangka Regency. The direct effect of teacher creativity was 53.72%, while motivation had a 14.28% direct effect. Together, teacher creativity and motivation had a combined direct effect of 68.02% on teacher performance. Moreover, the moderating effect of school principals' leadership on the relationship between teacher creativity and performance was found to be 17.07%, while for teacher motivation, it was 9.41%. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between teacher creativity, motivation, and performance in SMKs in Bangka Regency. Higher creativity and motivation lead to better teacher performance, contributing to improved educational outcomes. However, the moderating effect of school principals' leadership was relatively small, suggesting the need for further enhancement of leadership practices to maximize its impact on teacher performance. Overall, fostering teacher creativity and motivation alongside effective leadership can significantly enhance teacher performance in SMKs. The study underscores the importance of teacher creativity, motivation, and effective leadership in enhancing teacher performance in SMKs in Bangka Regency.