Abstract
The lack of collaboration competency among elementary school teachers has been one of the persistent challenges in improving educational quality at the grassroots level in Indonesia. This research analyses the significant impact of the “Guru Penggerak” Program on local network competency collaboration among Elementary School Teachers in Bekasi, which is a crucial step to facing education challenges in the 21st century. Using a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study design, this research involved ten schools (seven state and three private schools) and collected data through in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis. The subjects of this research involved 10 elementary schools with eight relevant respondents’ selected using purposive sampling. The data analysis process followed a thematic model included data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The result shows that the “Guru Penggerak” Program is not only a success in forming an innovative study community, but also strengthens collaboration skills, improves teaching quality, and prepares the teachers as the leader in learning. Although challenges exist, such as time and administrative constraints, the positive impact of this program on the relationship between schools and learning practice emphasizes the urgency of education reformation. This research is expected to give deep insight into the development of a more effective education policy, to make the “Guru Penggerak” Program an important model to improve teacher’s collaboration competency extensively.
Keywords: Collaboration Competency, Elementary School Teachers, Guru Penggerak, 21st Century Skill.