Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis ISSN: 1074-133X Vol 32 No. 9s (2025) 1536 https://internationalpubls.com Evaluation of Education Equalization in the Indonesian Police Environment (Polri) Hartini, Nurhattati, Matin 1,2,3Educational Management Doctoral Program, Postgraduate Faculty, Jakarta State University, Indonesia Email: hartini.hadian@gmail.com, nurhattati@unj.ac.id, atin@unj.ac.id Article History: Received: 12-01-2025 Revised: 15-02-2025 Accepted: 01-03-2025 Abstract: The policy of equalizing education within the Indonesian National Police aims to provide equal opportunities for officers in developing academic and leadership competencies. However, the implementation of this policy still faces challenges in the aspects of transparency of selection, curriculum suitability, and program effectiveness for officer career development. This study uses the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) evaluation model to assess the effectiveness of the equalization program. The results showed that the Process aspect received the lowest score, indicating the need for improvement in the program implementation mechanism. The proposed recommendations include increasing the standardization of teaching methods, transparency in evaluation, improving the quality of teachers, and periodic monitoring of policy implementation. By implementing these measures, it is expected that the education equalization policy can be more optimal in supporting the career development of police officers. Keywords: Policy evaluation, Police career, Officer education, Academic equalization, Education reform. BACKGROUND Official education in Indonesia has a strategic role in building competent and professional human resources, especially within the Indonesian National Police (POLRI). In an effort to improve the competence and professionalism of its members, POLRI organizes various levels of education and training, including the Intermediate Staff and Leadership School (Sespimmen) and the Higher Staff and Leadership School (Sespimti). However, there is an imbalance in academic recognition and career paths between graduates of the official S2 and S3 education programs and graduates of Sespimmen and Sespimti. This phenomenon raises issues related to the motivation of members to continue their education and the policy implications for their career development. In recent years, the number of officers participating in Sespimmen education has increased significantly, while the number of graduates of master's and doctoral programs has tended to decrease. This is influenced by policy factors and institutional preferences in determining promotion paths and career paths that favor leadership education graduates compared to academic education. The graph below illustrates the comparative trend of the number of Sespimmen participants with S2 and S3 STIK graduates from 2017 to 2023. figure.1 comparison of the number of Sespimmen participants with S2 and S3 STIK graduates from 2017 to 2023. mailto:hartini.hadian@gmail.com mailto:nurhattati@unj.ac.id mailto:atin@unj.ac.id Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis ISSN: 1074-133X Vol 32 No. 9s (2025) 1537 https://internationalpubls.com Data source: processed by researchers 2025 The graph shows the comparative trend of the number of Sespimmen students and S2 / S3 STIK graduates from 2017 to 2023. From the graph, it can be seen that the number of participants who take part in Sespimmen education has increased significantly every year, while the number of S2 and S3 STIK graduates tends to decrease. The increase in the number of Sespimmen students indicates the institution's preference for the leadership education path as one of the main requirements for career development in POLRI. In contrast, the declining trend of STIK master's and doctoral graduates reflects the decreasing interest of POLRI officers in continuing their academic education, which is thought to be due to the low academic recognition of these graduates in promotions. This imbalance indicates an injustice in the police education system, where academic education is not considered to have equal weight with leadership education. Therefore, strategic steps are needed to harmonize human resource development policies within the POLRI to be more inclusive and competency-based. This imbalance has the potential to hinder the optimization of HR potential in the police. Therefore, a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of the education equalization policy is needed in order to create a fairer and more proportional system in the career development of police officers. In addition, the equalization policy is expected to increase the participation of police officers in academic education, reduce dissatisfaction in the promotion system, and have a positive impact on improving the quality of human resources in the police. This study seeks to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of the equalization policy in the context of education reform at POLRI. Inclusive and competency-based education is a key requirement in the development of police institutions. Therefore, this study will focus on how the equalization policy is implemented and the extent to which it can make a real contribution to police officers in achieving a better career path. By understanding the challenges faced in the implementation of this policy, this research will provide strategic recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the equalization program, improve a more transparent selection and promotion system, and support the creation of a more inclusive and competency-oriented educational environment for police officers. Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis ISSN: 1074-133X Vol 32 No. 9s (2025) 1538 https://internationalpubls.com This research also seeks to uncover the extent to which the equalization policy can provide sustainable solutions to existing problems, as well as how police institutions can adapt to the development of higher education in order to produce competent and professional leaders. Therefore, the results of this research are expected to contribute to the development of a more advanced police education system in accordance with the needs of the times.Kajian Literatur Evaluation of Continuing Education Evaluation of police education is a crucial topic in the development of police institutions. According to Smith et al. (2024), evaluation of educational programs is crucial to ensure the relevance of the curriculum to the task needs in the field. It also helps in formulating fairer career development policies for police officers. Cohen (2021); Filstad and Karp (2021); Miranda et al. (2025) added that the leadership education system in the police should be oriented towards developing strategic competencies, not just administrative ones. With a competency-based approach, graduates of official education programs can be better prepared to face evolving security challenges. Education and Career Equalization in the Indonesian National Police Recent research by Cordner 2023; Hale 2023; Khosa 1996 shows that the equalization of academic education with leadership education in the police force still faces structural barriers. In the study, it was found that of police officers felt that their academic education lacked recognition in the career ladder (du Plessis et al. 2021). According to research by Oh et al. (2022); Peters (2021), in some countries such as the UK and Australia, the police system has implemented better educational equivalence between academic and leadership education. This suggests that POLRI could take similar steps to improve the balance in the promotion and career development system. Policy Implications of Education Equalization According to Davis and Chen (2023), education equalization policies should include recognition of academic graduates in the form of additional points in promotions. This has been implemented in several European countries and proven to increase the interest of police officers in continuing their education to a higher level. Research results from (Sharma and Patel 2024) showed that institutions that implemented a merit- based equalization system succeeded in increasing the learning motivation of their members and creating a fairer system for promotions. Therefore, POLRI can consider implementing a merit system to improve the effectiveness of the equalization program. Evaluation of the official education policy is needed to ensure the effectiveness and fairness of the promotion system within POLRI. Equalizing academic education with leadership education can be a solution to address the existing inequality. By implementing a merit and competency-based equalization system, it is expected to improve the quality of human resources in the police and create a more inclusive and professional development-oriented system for police officers. Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis ISSN: 1074-133X Vol 32 No. 9s (2025) 1539 https://internationalpubls.com RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This research uses an evaluative approach with the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) method to analyze the effectiveness of the education equalization policy in the POLRI environment. The CIPP model allows researchers to evaluate policies in four main aspects: context, input, process, and outcome. 1. Context: Analyze the background of the education equalization policy, including the factors behind the policy implementation as well as the underlying institutional and regulatory needs. 2. Input: Evaluate the resources, teaching staff, curriculum, and selection mechanisms in the POLRI education equalization policy. 3. Process: Examines how the policy is implemented in the POLRI education environment, including teaching methods, assessment systems, and learner evaluation mechanisms. 4. Product: Assesses the impact of the policy on career paths, officer competencies, and the effectiveness of the education system in supporting police tasks and functions. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with police officers who have attended S2, S3, as well as Sespimmen and Sespimti education. In addition, related policy documents were analyzed to understand how the prevailing regulations affect career development in this institution. The data analysis technique used in this research is thematic analysis, which allows researchers to identify patterns and key findings from the data collected. Data triangulation was applied to increase the validity of the research results by comparing findings from interviews, policy documents, and available statistical data. This approach is expected to provide in-depth insights into the challenges and opportunities in the implementation of education equalization policy in POLRI as well as generate evidence-based recommendations for future policy improvements. RESEARCH RESULTS The results show that the implementation of the education equalization policy at POLRI still faces various challenges. Based on the context analysis, it was found that this policy emerged as a response to institutional needs in improving the quality of human resources in POLRI. However, there are different perceptions among police officers regarding the effectiveness of this policy in influencing their careers. In terms of inputs, the research revealed that although there are adequate teaching resources and curriculum, there are still limitations in the selection mechanism for equalization education participants. Some officers stated that the selection process tends to lack transparency, which leads to inequality in opportunities for graduates of master's and doctoral programs. At the process stage, it was found that the implementation of the equalization program is still not optimal, with differences in teaching methods and evaluation systems compared to leadership education such as Sespimmen and Sespimti. This leads to inequality in the competencies obtained by participants in academic education compared to the leadership pathway. In terms of product, this study found that graduates of the S2 and S3 programs still experience difficulties in obtaining recognition equivalent to that of Sespimmen and Sespimti graduates. Many Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis ISSN: 1074-133X Vol 32 No. 9s (2025) 1540 https://internationalpubls.com officers complained that although they had completed their academic education with good results, their promotion opportunities were still lower than those of officers who completed leadership education. The results of this study suggest that to improve the effectiveness of the equalization policy, improvements are needed in the selection mechanism, increased transparency in the promotion system, as well as curriculum harmonization so that academic education can be more in line with the operational needs of the police. DISCUSSION Based on the results of the study, it was found that the education equalization policy in the Indonesian National Police still faces various challenges in its implementation. Analysis using the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) evaluation model shows various aspects that need to be improved so that the equalization program can run more effectively and have a significant impact on the career development of police officers. 1. Context: Background and Urgency of Education Equalization POLRI's education equalization policy is based on the need to improve the quality of human resources and ensure that all officers have equal access to competency development. However, the research found that there are still different perceptions among officers regarding the benefits of this program. Some see education equalization as a solution to improve academic and leadership competencies, while others feel that leadership education such as Sespimmen and Sespimti remains preferable in the promotion process (Gorski and Swalwell 2023; Theoharis 2024). 2. Inputs: Educational Resources and Infrastructure Although POLRI has provided adequate teaching resources and curriculum, there are obstacles in the selection process of participants in the equalization program. Some officers stated that the selection process lacks transparency and often favors graduates from the leadership track over those with an academic background. A recent study by Davis & Chen (2023) also highlighted the importance of developing a balanced curriculum between academic and leadership aspects so that graduates from both pathways have equivalent competencies (Blumberg et al. 2019; Brown 2024). 3. Process: Program Implementation and Challenges in the Field The implementation of the education equalization program still faces various obstacles, including less uniform teaching methods and a different evaluation system compared to leadership education. Some graduates of the S2 and S3 programs feel that even though they have obtained a higher academic education, they still lose out in promotion competition compared to officers who have completed Sespimmen or Sespimti. Sharma and Patel (2024) emphasized that for the equalization program to be successful, a more transparent and competency-based evaluation mechanism is needed. 4. Product (Outcome): Impact of Equalization on Career and Competency Development The impact of the equalization policy on the career development of police officers is still not optimal. The study found that even though graduates of S2 and S3 in the official sector have high academic competence, they still have difficulty in getting equal recognition with graduates of leadership education. Research by (Gaston-Bird 2024; Mintz 2024) suggests that a clearer merit and competency- Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis ISSN: 1074-133X Vol 32 No. 9s (2025) 1541 https://internationalpubls.com based promotion system could help improve the effectiveness of the equalization program and ensure that graduates from the academic track are not discriminated against in their careers. CONCLUSION This discussion shows that the education equalization policy in POLRI still needs to be improved in order to provide greater benefits for human resource development in this institution. By improving the selection system, aligning the curriculum, and increasing transparency in promotions, it is hoped that the equalization program can be a more effective solution in creating a fairer and competency-based education and career development system in the police force. RECOMMENDATION Based on the lowest score found in the Process aspect, the main recommendations that should be implemented are: 1. Increase Standardization in the Implementation Process Develop standardized guidelines in teaching methods and equalization evaluation systems to avoid differences in education quality between academic and leadership pathways. Develop an integrated learning platform so that learners can access materials more flexibly and efficiently. 2. Transparency in Evaluation and Assessment Process Ensure a more transparent evaluation system using competency-based indicators. Involve external parties in program evaluation supervision to avoid bias in assessment. 3. Improving the Quality of Teachers and Education Facilities Provide additional training for teachers so that they have the skills to teach leadership modules relevant to policing. Improve the quality of learning facilities with the support of more modern and interactive technology. 4. 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