untitled EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, 5(1) 2012 65 Dr. Waspodo Tjipto Subroto is Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education UNESA (Universitas Negeri Surabaya or State University of Surabaya), Jalan Kentingan, Surabaya City, East Java, Indonesia. Mobile: +6281333213333. E-mail: waspodotjipto@yahoo.co.id The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment in Improving the Quality of Education in the Elementary Schools Waspodo Tjipto Subroto ABSTRACT: Teachers have importance position and roles to increase the quality of teaching and learning process, so that the performance of the teachers must also be improved. Empowering the teachers’ performance is visible to increase the quality of education in the elementary schools in Surabaya city, East Java, Indonesia. This study is intended to explore on how to implement the empowerment for teachers (education qualification, training, and briefings) related to education quality. The study was conducted to the sample of 174 small clusters by using stratified cluster sampling technique. Applying structural equation modeling analysis, the research-intensive as the findings followed. This research finding showed that education qualification of teachers influenced the teachers’ performance and also the education quality at elementary schools. Besides that, it influenced education in service training to teachers’ performance and education quality. Moreover, teachers’ professional training also influenced the performance and the education quality. The research conclusion stated that empowerment of teachers has influenced the increase of performance with indicators of knowledge, attitude, and skills to increase the education quality. So, the quality of elementary schools with value indicator increased not only the quantity but also quality of teaching and learning process. KEY WORDS: Teacher performance, empowering, Indonesia human resources, elementary schools, teaching and learning process, and quality of education. Introduction Indonesian government’s efforts to enhance the quality of teachers have actually been done through various forms of policy. The enactment of UU (Undang-Undang or Act) Number 14 Year 2005 about teachers and lecturers is the basis of policies to strengthen the existence of teachers as professionals, like other professions. Professional quality of teachers has always been pursued, either through the provision of educational qualifications or in-service training activities, with its various forms such as education and training, refresher courses, and involvement in various seminars to update his/ her insights in pedagogy and academic competence. The government began to realize how strategic the role of teachers in delivering the younger generation to be qualified and competitive human resources (HR) WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 66 to realize common prosperity (Supriyono, 1989). The history of civilization and progress of nations in the world showed us that instead of natural resources abundance of the dominant nation to usher in prosperity, the toughness of competitiveness and excellence of science and technology (science and technology) were exactly what role the nation to reap welfare. Even mastering science and technology, human resources tended to use technology to master the natural resources of other nations. Improving the Teachers’ Quality Dynamic development of society is rapidly moving along with the progress of science and technology that requires all parties to adapt the changes occur in the community. The advance of science and technology has given rise to a new paradigm for success, namely the competition. Challenges of increasingly keen competition in the era of globalization requires increased quality and efficiency of the profession on an ongoing basis, so that competitiveness can be more competitive professionals. The era of globalization changes the nature of the work of amateurs toward professionalization in all areas and life aspects. Included in the global change is the teaching profession. In accordance with the changing demands of global society, teachers are also required professional tasks in the field (Deckey & Adam, 1995; and IE, 2000). Professional teachers, rather than as tools for transmitting the culture, are to transform it into a dynamic cultural direction and require mastery of science and technology, high productivity, and quality of work that can improve competitiveness. Adequate educational development investment will be able to move the local economy with a large multiplier effect through school construction, procurement and maintenance of education infrastructure, and increasing teachers’ quality. Quality public is not only able to seize every available job opportunities through investment but also to create new jobs. Moreover, the problem of education is a cross-sectoral issue, so there must be commitment from all parties, especially the educational policy makers, to take policy-oriented quality of education. For policies, to improve higher education quality, if it is addressed consistently, it will produce graduates who are competent and finally able to produce competitive citizen role in large numbers. Educational programs to improve the quality of human resources become very important because many problems found in government institutions, community institutions, and activities in the community that its effectiveness depends on the quality of human resources, both in intellectual ability and moral integrity in its responsibility to society. Human resources, according to T.L. Leap and M.D. Crino (2002), is one key factor in moving towards prosperity. Creating highly competitive and quality human resources and skills is the demand of development towards prosperity. Economic globalization is a process of economic and trade activity that brings together market forces increasingly integrated for efficiency and enhance competitiveness. The low human development index of Indonesia has had an impact on the competitiveness of Indonesia’s declining ability. Deterioration of competitiveness EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, 5(1) 2012 67 is resulted in the low quality of Indonesia education. The low quality of Indonesian education is affected by several components supporting the education process, among others: the quality of teachers, learning tools such as textbooks, instructional media, learning resources, and learning laboratory equipment that has not been adequate. The lack of educational support component is influenced by the lack of educational fund allocation from the State Revenues and Expenditures Budget or APBN (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Negara) as well as donations from the public education such as parents. The teacher’s role is very important in improving the quality of education in Indonesia, so that Law Number 14 Year 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers, article 8 asserts that teachers must have academic qualifications, competency certificates, educators, and mental and physical health as well as having the ability to realize the goal of national education (Depdiknas RI, 2006). To improve the quality of teachers, the Education Office or DISDIK (Dinas Pendidikan) in East Java Province cooperated with the UNESA (Universitas Negeri Surabaya or State University of Surabaya) organized a partnership in improving the teachers’ competence through refresher education or continuing education. According to Sahudi (2009), implementing this program is due to the competence of teachers in Surabaya that has not been optimal. Furthermore, E. Mulyasa (2005) states that state schools in general are still apprehensive. Whereas the development of education in Surabaya as a metropolitan city is very rapid, when the capacity is inadequate, teachers will hurt students. Other program to improve the quality of teachers is to encourage further studies for teachers who have Bachelor degree (S1) at a cost from Surabaya City Education Office. Training and Professional Teacher Education or PLPG (Pendidikan Latihan dan Penataran Guru) held by the State University of Surabaya on Elementary School teachers is also in an attempt of teachers’ performance empowerment to improve the quality of the estuary profession in improving the quality of education. Further studies and a variety of trainings given to teachers are expected to have an impact on improving the quality of learning services that ultimately improves the quality of education. The problems above are summarized in the formulation as follows: “How does the empowerment of teachers’ performance to improve the quality of education at the elementary school in Surabaya?” The present study aims to examine the effectiveness of further study and a variety of trainings given to teachers in improving the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. Add note that there are some terminology paradigm that had evolved among others: populist- based development, characterized by participatory development, and human development. Today, the building based on economic growth has indeed succeeded in making the wealth, but failed in realizing equitable prosperity and even reverse many of which pose difficult problems to be solved. Community development is basically emphasizing on the importance of poverty eradication through various empowerment of marginalized groups, namely an increase in living standards for people who are lack of capacity in a sustainable economy. WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 68 Theoretical Review Government is required to create and optimize human resources in various fields according to its needs. The analysis of this study is based on the theory of empowerment of human resources in accordance with the need to improve the quality of education towards the creation of superior human resources and competitive begins from the improved quality performance of professional education personnel. Empowerment contains two terms, namely: (1) to give the power, transferring power, and delegating authority to others; and (2) to give abilities to attempt, or to give the ability (Haris, 2002). It means that the concept of improving the quality of education has not optimized yet the performance of teachers’ empowerment, which has a role in improving the quality of education. Empowering educators embodies a nuanced capacity building of human resources in empowering educators through the development of various abilities (performances) and responsibilities as well as synergistic atmosphere between government (public) with the teacher. Effort to optimize the ongoing performance of teachers is an important factor than other factors in improving the quality of education. This has been recognized and implemented by the government through the assignment of further studies, a variety of trainings, and upgrading of teachers. Teacher performance as well as job performance are results of activities that have been implemented or will be done by the teacher according to his/her profession as a teacher. In this context, Andrew Eaglen et al. (2000) define performance as “something done or products / services produced or provided by someone to a group of people”. While Rao (cited by Mulyasa, 2005) suggests that the performance is the result of ability and effort. According to D. Furtwengler (2002), the performance is successful achievement role earned one of his/her deeds. Performance is the behavior displayed by individuals or groups. In reaching something, one is usually motivated by the performance. Motivation is an important element that should be owned by everyone, because the role of motivation serves as a spur to performance. Performance is the capacity that one has to perform or complete a job. Enterprises are the time and effort spent to achieve one’s motivation. While the motivation is the hope, desire, impulse, and urge to achieve something. Motivation is defined as an attitude (accept or reject) related to interest, ability, skill, or strength. In connection with someone, then, the motivation is intended as an ability, skill, or force someone to perform a task that becomes their responsibility. The ability of a person is basically a result of the learning process, which includes aspects of knowledge, attitudes, and skills. According to Richard M. Steers (2001), learning outcomes are changes that include cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Furthermore, the opinion of Jerome S. Arcaro (2005) states that the learning outcomes includes three domain, namely cognitive, affective, and psychomotor which is often called “taxonomy of education objectives”. Capability which includes three aspects will affect the performance of someone who in turn will affect the organization’s success rate, which in this case the quality of education. EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, 5(1) 2012 69 McClelland states that there is a positive relationship between a person’s motivation and performance (cited by Steers, 2001). This means that every worker who has high motivation to work will produce a high performance as well. Likewise, that empowerment has a positive relation to one’s motivation. Techniques to motivate the performance of teachers, according to Mangkunegoro (2005), among others are: (1) engineering needs, and (2) persuasive communication techniques. Meeting the needs of teachers is an essential foundation for work behavior. Management may not be able to motivate teachers without an adequate needs. According to Maslow, hierarchy of teachers’ needs includes: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs (cited by Coombs, 2005; and Sudradjat, 2005). Conceptual Framework and Research Hypothesis This study tried to uncover the role of teacher empowerment in promoting the quality of its performance in the hope of improving the quality of education in elementary schools in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. The framework that has been designed in this study is as follows: INCREASE OF EDUCATION QUALITY (Y2): *Result of National Exam (Y2.1) *Result of School Exam (Y2.2) Qualification (X1) *Highschool (X1.1) *Diploma 1 (X1.2) *Diploma 2 (X1.3) *Diploma 3 (X1.4) *Graduate (X1.5) Training (X2) *Curriculum (X2.1) *Syllabi (X2.2) *Plan of Learning (X2.3) Up Grading (X3) *Guideline (X3.1) * Meeting (X3.2) *Article of Teacher (X3.3) TEACHER PERFORMANCE (Y1): *Skill (Y1.1) *Value and Attitude (Y1.2) *Knowledge (Y1.3) Figure 1: Conceptual of Framework Based on the background and the basic theoretical framework in this study, the research hypothesis can be formulated as follows: First hypothesis: “Increased educational qualifications of teachers will bring significant influence to the improvement of teachers’ performance, among others in knowledge, skills, and attitudes to implement the learning”. WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 70 Second hypothesis: “Performance of teachers in the syllabus and learning implementation plan or RPP (Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran), implements and evaluates the learning effect on student learning outcomes in improving the quality of education in elementary schools, such as the quality of the national examination and school final examination”. Third hypothesis: “Increased empowerment of the teacher’s performance such as educational qualifications, training, and upgrading will bring a significant effect on improving the quality of education in elementary schools which includes quality of the national examination and the school final examination”. Research Methodology This study aims to describe and analyze the effect of empowerment on improving the quality of teacher performance in elementary school education in Surabaya city, East Java, Indonesia. This study is also an attempt to discover, develop, and test the truth of the influence of the empowerment of teachers’ performance on productivity performance in an effort to improve the quality of education in elementary schools. In accordance with its objectives, the study was designed as a research model explanatory, i.e. to explain how the role of empowerment of teachers’ performance in improving the quality of its performance in order to enhance productivity performance, so as to improve the quality of education in the elementary schools. Scope of Research. To focus the study, the topic was limited to the empowerment of teachers in improving productivity performance in improving the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. The focus of this research is to increase teachers’ empowerment through increased educational qualifications and training and upgrading. While the productivity performance of teachers includes the ability to develop syllabus and learning implementation plan or RPP (Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran), and implementing the learning and skills to guide students in intensive learning in school. Improving the quality of education is embodied in the criteria for increasing the grade of National Examination or UNAS (Ujian Nasional) and the School Final Examination or UAS (Ujian Akhir Sekolah). Population and Sample. The population in this study was all elementary school teachers who served in the city of Surabaya, both public elementary schools and private elementary schools which amounted to 11,650 people that spread out in 569 of public elementary schools and 415 of private elementary schools. The determination of the sample in this study was using cluster techniques or cluster sampling based on the area; and the population of elementary school teachers was divided according to sub-districts in Surabaya. Districts that serve the study site consist of 29 districts in the working area of the Government of Surabaya Municipality. Each cluster is determined six respondents consisting of three teachers at 6 grade of public elementary schools and three teachers also at 6 grade of private elementary schools. Thus, each of these clusters will be taken six districts EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, 5(1) 2012 71 of elementary school teachers as a sample to be representative of the population sub-districts, so the overall sample size is 29 x 6 = 174 samples. Finally, the appropriate type of data analysis is an important factor in addressing the research. To consider the issue after the proposed goals and hypothesis and data are available, then this study used two kinds of analysis, namely: (1) Descriptive analysis, and (2) Multivariant regression analysis model with SEM or Structural Equation Modelling version 4.0 (Ferdinand, 2000; and Langbein, 2002). Result and Discussion The Description of Research Variables. First, it is about the “Educational Qualification”. Based on the indicators studied, it appears that some essential things are associated with: (1) Undergraduate qualification S1; (2) Diploma 3; (3) Diploma 2; (4) A diploma; and (5) Graduate. The data indicates that higher educational qualifications categorized will have an impact on the ability of teachers in developing adequate performance. A good performance will support the achievement of good work. Table 1: Frequency Distribution of Respondents’ Educational Qualification No Education Qualification Criteria Frequency F % % Cumulative 1 High School Very poor 6 3 4 2 Diploma 1 Poor 45 26 29 3 Diploma 2 Quite 24 37 66 4 Diploma 3 Good 24 14 80 5 Graduate Very good 34 20 100 N: 174 100 Second, it is about the “Training of Learning”. Based on the indicators studied, it appears that some essential things are associated with: (1) Activity in adequate training; (2) An adequate source of training materials; (3) Adequate training instructor; (4) Facilities supports; and (5) Colleagues to support. This shows that the preparation of training syllabus and lesson plans with high category will have an impact on the implementation of learning. Table 2: Frequency Distribution Training of Learning Respondents No Training of Learning Criteria Freqeuncy F % % Cumulative 1 Never Very poor 6 3 9 2 Rarely Poor 45 26 34 3 Frequently Quite 24 37 65 WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 72 4 More Good 24 14 87 5 Very often Very good 34 20 100 N: 174 Third, it is about “Professional Upgrading” in scientific work and innovative learning. Upgrading the data shows that by the upgrading of the categories will often have an impact on the completion of the task as well. The upgrading is like: (1) Training of scientific writings; (2) Training to develop the instructional media; and (3) Training of innovative learning models. By the good work, it will have an impact on the achievement of high performance. Table 3: Frequency Distribution of Professional Upgrading Followed by Respondents No Upgrading Criteria Frequency F % % Cumulative 1 1 – 3 Very rarely 6 4 4% 2 4 – 6 Rarely 49 28 32% 3 7 – 9 Fair 72 41 73% 4 7 – 9 Often 35 20 93% 5 10 – more Veri often 12 7 100% N: 174 100% Fourth, it is about the “Teacher Performance”. The data below shows that the presence of categorized high performance will impact the good work culture. A good working culture will support the achievement of good work, then, it will impact on achieving high performance. Table 4: Frequency Distribution of Respondents Performance Levels No Teacher Performance Criteria of Plan Frequency F % % Cumulative 1 Very low 60 – 65 13 7.47 7.47% 2 Low 66- 70 31 17.81 25.20% 3 Self 71 – 75 43 24.71 49.91 % 4 High 76 – 80 74 42.52 92.43% 5 Very high 81 – 100 13 7.47 100% N: 174 100% Fifth, it is about the “Quality of Education”. Based on the indicators studied, it appears that some essential things are associated with: (1) Intellectual ability; and (2) Mastery of the knowledge and skills which are possessed by work. It shows that with a lot of teachers who have the ability to work with the high category will have an impact on the completion of the task as well. The good work will have an impact on the achievement of high performance. EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, 5(1) 2012 73 Table 5: Frequency Distribution of Educational Quality in National Examination No Quality of Education Criteria Frequency F % % Cumulative 1 3 – 5 Very low 4 2.29 2.29% 2 5 – 6 Low 35 20.15 22.44% 3 6 – 7 Self 59 33.90 56.34% 4 7 – 8 High 62 35.63 91.97% 5 8 – 10 Very high 14 8.04 100% N: 174 100% On the SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) Test Results. Judging from the below data (table 6), the probability of CR and its significance on the significance level can be found that the effect of empowerment including educational qualifications, training, upgrading of teachers affect teacher performance, and quality of education in elementary schools at the City of Surabaya, as following here: (1) Educational qualifications of teachers have positive influence on the performance of teachers; it means that hypothesis is accepted; (2) Training preparation of the learning device has a positive effect on teacher performance; it means that the hypothesis is accepted; (3) Upgrading to write scientific papers to the teachers has positive influence on the performance of teachers; it means that hypothesis is accepted; (4) Teacher education qualifications have a positive influence on the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya; it means that hypothesis is accepted; (5) Training the learning positively affects the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya; it means that hypothesis is accepted; (6) Upgrading to write scientific papers on the teacher does not affect the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya; it means that the hypothesis is rejected; (7) Empowerment of teachers has a positive effect on the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya; it means that hypothesis is accepted; and (8) The most dominant variable influences the empowerment of teachers is the education and training qualification, while the most dominant influence of the education quality is empowerment. Table 6: Test Results Analysis of Teacher Empowerment that Include Educational Qualifications, Training, and Upgrading No Variable Co-efi- ciency SE CR >1.96 Probability <0.05 Result 1 Performa – education 2.36 0.258 2.815 0.004 Significant 2 Performa – training 1.24 0.09 2.326 0.013 Significant 3 Performa – upgrading 0.68 0.502 1.98 0.06 Significant 4 Qualility – education 0.89 0.392 1.97 0.06 Significant 5 Quality – training 2.56 0.56 2.812 0.007 Significant 6 Quality – upgrading 0.03 1.341 1.036 0.002 No-significant 7 Quality – performa 3.05 1.341 1.981 0.046 Significant WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 74 Analysis of Research Results The analysis of exposure data is based on empirical and theoretical findings and previous studies relevant to the research conducted. The discussion is intended to explain the appropriateness and relevance of each dependent variable and independent variables. From the tests using the program AMOS 4.0 by the analysis of SEM (Structural Equation Modelling), test results of both models through the overall test and measurement test can be drawn that the multilevel model can explain the phenomenon of quality of education in elementary schools in Surabaya in several important aspects.The results of this study gives an answer that is very good multilevel model to explain the business model of empowering teachers to improve the quality of education at the elementary schools in Surabaya, or accept the hypothesis. By analyzing the effect of empowerment that includes educational qualifications, training, and upgrading of learning media as well as scientific writings on teachers’ performance and quality of education in primary schools at the Surabaya city expected us to develop an understanding that the empowerment of teachers will affect the performance of teachers; and finally it can also affect the quality of elementary schools in the city of Surabaya. The current study found a model that links the five variables proposed in the conceptual model. The five variables include: (1) Education qualifications, (2) Training device development learning, (3) Upgrading writing the scientific papers, (4) Teacher performance, and (5) Quality of teacher education. Indicators of the five variables were identified, and the researcher eliminated one indicator because it does not qualify loading factor, an indicator of educational quality variable is the value of semester. So that indicators that can be used as a measure of the variables are as follows: First, Education variable is measured through indicators: High school, Diploma1, Diploma 2, Diploma 3, and Graduate; and two indicators are jointly able to explain the variable. One of the two indicators that are most explainable is a formal education or Graduate (S1). Second, Training variable is measured by indicators: Development of syllabus, Learning implementation plan, and Devices learning. All three indicators are jointly able to explain the variable, and one of these three indicators which is the most capable to explain the variable is the preparation of training syllabus and preparation of learning implementation plan or RPP (Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran), and the most recent is a learning device. Third, Upgrading of teacher variable is measured through indicators: Activity in- service classroom action research or PTK (Penelitian Tindakan Kelas) and innovative learning. The indicators are jointly able to explain the variables of these indicators. The most capable indicator to explain the variable is an innovative learning model development activities. Fourth, Teacher performance variable is measured through indicators: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills of teachers. All three indicators are jointly able EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, 5(1) 2012 75 to explain the variable and of these three indicators which are the most capable to explain the variable are the knowledge and attitudes and skills. Fifth, the Variable quality of education is measured through indicators: the Quality and Quantity of learning value. Both indicators are jointly able to explain the variable and the two indicators are the most capable of explaining the value of variable quality and quantity of learning. In addition, for finding a new model as mentioned above, it is also found the influence of the variable effects of empowerment that includes educational qualifications, training, and upgrading of teachers which affect the performance of teachers and quality education in the elementary schools in Surabaya as the results of hypothesis testing. An explanation of the effect of empowerment variables, including educational qualifications, training, and upgrading of teachers on the performance of teachers and quality education in the elementary schools at Surabaya city, are as following here: First, the influence of empowerment includes educational qualifications, training, and upgrading of the teacher against teacher performance. From the results of descriptive analysis, it is found that the elementary school teachers in the city of Surabaya, in general, have a high performance in the criteria. The high performance of teachers is supported by the empowerment of teachers, including educational qualifications, training, and upgrading as its attributes. The analysis of SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) found that teacher performance is influenced by the empowerment of potential teachers. Second, from the above test, it is obtained that the three indicators that can be used as a measure of empowerment in explaining variables namely: educational qualifications, training, and refresher courses. Three indicators are jointly able to explain the variables of empowerment, of these three indicators are most capable to explain educational qualifications, followed by his/her username and inservice training for teachers. It can be concluded that the test results with the analysis of SEM program AMOS 4.0 shows that empowerment has positive effect on teacher performance. In particular, the empowerment has three indicators, namely: education qualifications, training and learning device, and upgrading of teachers. All three indicators are jointly able to explain the variables of empowerment, of these three indicators are most capable to explain the educational qualifications, followed by training his/her username, then the most recent scientific work is the upgrading of teachers. It is meant to enhance the empowerment of teachers in the primary schools in Surabaya that needs to improve the educational qualifications, followed by adequate training and refresher courses, and upgrading courses should be in accordance with its activity. The influence of empowerment includes educational qualifications, training, and upgrading of teachers against the quality of education. From the results of descriptive analysis, it is found that the quality of education in primary schools in Surabaya shows the quality of education in the high category, while the low category is the indicators of the quality and quantity. Finally, from the results of SEM analysis, the indicators that can explain the variable quality of education are: the value of the national exams and the school WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 76 final exams. Both indicators are jointly capable to explain and both indicators which are the most capable to explain the quality value and quantity of learning. Conclusion and Suggestions Based on the results of research and discussion that have been done above, it can be summed up as follows: Empowerment of teachers’ abilities, including an increase in educational qualifications, training, preparation of syllabi and lesson plans, as well as the upgrading of the teachers, have positive influence on the performance of teachers. Empowerment of teachers’ abilities that includes an increase in educational qualifications, training, preparation of syllabi and lesson plans, as well as the upgrading of scientific writings have also influenced positively to the quality of education. Teachers’ performances (through the indicators of knowledge, attitudes, and skills) have had the positive influence on the quality of education (quality and quantity of the study). Performance of teachers has an important role in influencing education quality improvement at the elementary schools in Surabaya city, East Java, Indonesia. Some suggestions are put forward in this study, among others are as following here. First, the educational qualifications of all elementary school teachers in Surabaya needs to be synchronized to the Graduate (Strata 1). Improving the teacher education qualification should be pursued because the teacher’s performance is affected by teacher empowerment, including education qualification. Second, it needs periodic training to enhance teachers’ ability in formulating the syllabus and lesson plans and teaching tools, because such training can improve the performance of teachers in planning and implementing learning. Finally, third, the upgrading of teachers about writing scientific papers and innovative learning need to be given to the teacher because it may indirectly improve its performance in implementing the learning and teaching process. References Arcaro, Jerome S. (2005). Quality in Education: An Implementation Handbook. New York: St. Lucie Press. Coombs, P.H. (2005). 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(2002). Discovering Whether Programs Work: A Guide to Stastistical Methods for Program Evaluation. Santa Monica: Goodyear Publisher Company. Leap, T.L. & M.D. Crino. (2002). Personnel/Human Resources Management. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. Mangkunegoro. (2005). Evaluasi Kinerja Sumber Daya Manusia. Jakarta: Refika Aditama. Mulyasa, E. (2005). Menjadi Guru Profesional: Menciptakan Pembelajaran yang Aktif, Kreatif, dan Menyenangkan. Bandung: Rosdakarya. Sahudi. (2009). “Refresher Courses and Advanced Studies for Teachers in the City of Surabaya”. Unpublished Report. Surabaya: Dinas Pendidikan Kota Surabaya. Steers, Richard M. (2001). Motivation and Work Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hili, Inc. Sudradjat, Day. (2005). Manajemen Berbasis Sekolah: Meningkatkan Kualitas Pendidikan Melalui Implementasi MBS. Jakarta: Graphic Cekas Notices. Supriyono. (1989). Manajemen Sumber Daya Manusia. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta. WASPODO TJIPTO SUBROTO, The Influence of Teachers’ Performance Empowerment 78 Picture of Indonesia Human Resources (Source: www.google.com, 15/7/2012) The low human development index of Indonesia has had an impact on the competitiveness of the nation’s declining ability of Indonesia. Deterioration of competitiveness is derived from the quality of education in Indonesia is still also low.