An Interpretative Phenomenological Exploration of Meaning-Making in Educational Planning among Honorary Teachers in Indonesian Public Schools

Abstract

Educational planning is a vital component of school governance, yet the role of honorary teachers in this process remains underexplored. While prior studies have addressed structural exclusion in school systems, little is known about how honorary teachers make sense of their informal involvement in educational planning. This study addresses the gap by asking: How do honorary teachers interpret their participation in school planning despite lacking formal authority? Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, the study reveals how these teachers construct professional meaning through lived experiences of exclusion and silent contribution. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight honorary teachers in Indonesian public schools and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings identified three major themes: being present but unacknowledged, navigating multiple roles with limitations, and expressing sincerity as a form of resistance. These themes illustrate how teachers negotiate their identity and agency within institutional constraints, drawing meaning from emotional commitment and student relationships rather than structural recognition. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how marginalized educators experience and influence planning processes in ways not captured by conventional policy analysis. These insights offer a more human-centered view of participatory planning and suggest that future research should further explore the evolving identities of non-permanent educators in diverse educational contexts.