Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 ISSN: 2827-8542 (Prin.
ISSN: 2827-7988 (Electroni.
Open Access: https://jurnal.
id/index.
php/educenter/index The application of soft systems methodology as a participatory education strategy in the stunting reduction program in Garut Regency Yosef Hadyan Fazzar Ilahi1.
Ikeu Kania2.
Gugun Geusan Akbar3 1,2,3Universitas Garut.
Indonesia yhadyanfazzar@gmail.
com*, 2ikeukania@fisip.
id , 3Gugun.
ga@gmail.
Article Info
ABSTRACT
Article history:
This study explores the application of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) as a participatory education strategy in a stunting reduction program in Garut Regency, a region facing unequal access, limited infrastructure, and low community involvement in educational decision-making.
A qualitative SSM-based approach was used.
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews .
-60 minute.
and participant observation with 60 purposively selected respondents: elementary/junior high school teachers, parents/guardians, education officials, village/sub-district heads, school committee members, and representatives from businesses/NGOs drawn from three districts representing geographic variation and accessibility.
Analysis with NVivo 14 used thematic coding, word clouds, and matrix coding.
Four main themes emerged: .
access and infrastructure challenges .
% of 3,456 coded reference.
, .
diverse stakeholder engagement .
%), .
curriculum adaptation based on local Sundanese culture .
%), and .
the impact of SSM on sustainable change .
%).
Matrix coding showed a strong correlation between the intensity of stakeholder engagement and the perceived effectiveness of SSM-based change.
These findings confirm SSM as an effective learning approach for designing contextual participatory education programs and contribute to SDG 4 on quality education for designing stunting reduction Received September 12th 2025 Revised October 10th 2025 Accepted October 25th 2025 Keyword:
Soft system methodology.
Public participation education.
Stunting.
Public health.
Garut Regency A2022 Authors.
Published by Arka Institute.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.
0 International License.
ttps://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-nc/4.
INTRODUCTION
Participatory education has become a key paradigm for addressing educational inequality in rural areas, where social, economic, and cultural factors often hinder the implementation of standard In Garut Regency.
West Java, these challenges are compounded by mountainous geography, a relatively high poverty rate of around 12.
5% in 2023 (BPS Garut, 2.
, and limited community participation in educational decision-making.
Net Enrollment Rates (APM) in 2023 were 97.
97% for primary (SD/MI), 79.
9% for junior secondary (SMP/MT.
, and 60.
04% for senior secondary (SMA/MA) (BPS Garut, 2.
, indicating room for improvement.
Efforts to raise participation align with the 2025Ae2029 RPJMN policy directions emphasizing poverty reduction and human-capital quality (PPN/Bappenas, 2.
Conventional top-down approaches often fail by overlooking local flexible, collaborative strategies are therefore needed.
Stunting, a chronic malnutrition problem that affects childrenAos physical growth and cognitive development, remains a major issue in Garut Regency.
The prevalence of stunting is closely related to education levels, parenting knowledge, and community participation in health and nutrition awareness In this context, participatory education can serve as a strategic approach to support stunting reduction through strengthened community learning, improved parental understanding, and intersectoral collaboration between education and health stakeholders.
Conventional top-down approaches often fail by overlooking local perspectives.
collaborative strategies are therefore needed.
Participatory education requires stakeholder involvement in formulating, implementing, and evaluating local education policies, amid diverse goals and In Garut, key actors include the education office, schools, committees, village/ward PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 governments, civil-society organizations, business, and vulnerable groups .
, out-of-school youth, children in remote areas, and low-income familie.
Within the stunting-reduction agenda, these stakeholders also play crucial roles in promoting nutritional education and community empowerment.
This complexity calls for a participatory systems approach that not only diagnoses problems but also negotiates changes that are culturally feasible and systemically desirable.
Developed by Checkland .
SSM provides an appropriate framework for such complexity.
SSM addresses AusoftAy problem situations characterized by divergent stakeholder goals.
human, cultural, and value factors.
and complexity, unstructuredness, and continual change.
It is an action-learning process that uses conceptual models of human activity systems to explore, reframe, and improve problem situations through structured debate among stakeholders (Checkland & Poulter, 2.
SSM comprises seven stages: .
Finding Out, a holistic, unstructured exploration of the situation .
ich pictur.
Root Definition, concise statements of purposeful activity from different viewpoints using CATWOE Customers .
tudents and parents/communit.
Actors .
ducation office, schools, committees, business, vulnerable group.
Transformation .
rom symbolic consultation to meaningful, documented, feedback-based participatio.
Weltanschauung .
ducation as a collaborative ecosyste.
Owners .
ocal government and education unit.
, and Environmental constraints .
egulations, budgets, digital literacy, organizational cultur.
Conceptual Model, a logical activity model needed to realize the root-definition transformation.
Comparison with Real World, identifying gaps, conflicts, and opportunities.
Feasible and Desirable Changes, filtering ideas into actionable changes acceptable to stakeholders.
Action to Improve the Situation, implementing agreed changes.
Iteration, repeating the learning cycle.
In participatory education.
SSM can facilitate dialogue among teachers, parents, and local government to design contextual programs such as integrating Sundanese local knowledge into primary-school curricula.
Recent studies show SSMAos effectiveness in facilitating collaboration and change in higher education and public services (Danar et al.
, 2025.
Guilhen et al.
, n.
Armstrong & Jimynez, 2.
Indonesia.
SSM has been used in university academic processes and accreditation (Septiana & Maulany.
Karay et al.
, 2.
and in child social participation (Rifandini et al.
, 2.
These studies underscore SSMAos strength in ill-structured situations requiring participatory artifacts like rich pictures and CATWOE.
Recent literature highlights rich pictures for clarifying concepts and aligning actor perspectives (Marnewick et al.
, 2024.
Wyatt et al.
, 2.
, while contemporary participatory handbooks offer guidance for cross-context collaborative research (Burns et al.
, 2021.
Although widely applied to management and organizational development.
SSMAos application to participatory education remains limited, especially in developing countries.
Prior work demonstrates SSMAos promise for adaptive learning design but seldom explores rural Indonesian contexts.
For example, an Australian university case on systems-thinking pedagogy found SSM beneficial for collaborative understanding but did not address cultural challenges in rural areas (Sankaran, 2.
Similarly, immersive learning-design studies in technology education reported engagement gains up to 25% yet focused on urban higher-education settings, overlooking local community dynamics (Wu et , 2.
Another study on secondary-school supervision in England integrated teacher and student perspectives using SSM but did not embed community-based participation (Thompson-Kerr, 2.
In Indonesia.
SSM has been applied in health .
igital-transformation initiatives improving stakeholder participation.
Soltani et al.
, e-government in construction .
evealing multidimensional factors and producing more sustainable project-management models.
Dewi et al.
, and educational technology .
mmersive learning design integrating stakeholder perspectives and enhancing performance through mixed reality.
Wu et al.
, .
Prior studies, however, were often sectoral and placed less emphasis on participatory dimensions, where community involvement tended to be symbolic.
More recent work in higher-education digital transformation (Danar et al.
, 2.
and self-organized e-learning improvement (Hapsari et al.
, 2.
further strengthens SSMAos educational Previous studies rarely integrated local values such as gotong royong .
in Sundanese culture, leaving a gap in adapting SSM to rural contexts.
A holistic participatory education PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 strategy that integrates local perspectives to address low literacy, access inequality, and stunting reduction using SSM constitutes this studyAos novelty.
Participatory education and social learning theory are closely related: active participation can bolster community self-efficacy (Bandura, 1.
Conventional programs often fail by disregarding Sundanese cultural dynamics.
SSM can bridge this gap by integrating local cultural values to promote both educational quality and health awareness.
This study therefore aims to explore the application of SSM as a participatory education strategy in the stunting reduction program in Garut Regency.
Against a rural backdrop requiring collaboration, it identifies gaps in applying SSM within local cultural contexts through key themes from stakeholder perspectives.
Theoretically, the study enriches literature on SSM adaptation for participatory education and health-related interventions.
practically, it guides the Garut local government in integrating communities into education-based stunting-reduction programs and informs sustainable education policy.
At a broader scale, the findings are applicable to other Indonesian regencies, supporting equitable access, improved child health, and community empowerment and, ultimately, contributing to SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 2 on zero hunger.
RESEARCH METHODS
Research Design and Approach This study employed a qualitative approach grounded in the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) as its principal analytical framework.
This approach was selected because it effectively explains complex and dynamic social situations involving multiple actors with differing interests.
In the context of participatory education and stunting reduction.
SSM was utilised to systematically map educational and health-related challenges in Garut Regency by considering social, cultural, and institutional The study not only focused on problem identification but also emphasised collective learning processes among stakeholders through reflective interaction.
Hence, the research design was exploratory and participatory, aiming to encourage sustainable social change (Checkland & Poulter.
The SSM approach was considered relevant for GarutAos context because the region possesses diverse socio-cultural characteristics, challenging geographical conditions, and persistent public health issues such as stunting.
Through SSM, local communities actively participate as agents of change in formulating educational and stunting-reduction solutions.
This approach provides space to interpret the meanings and values held by the community in developing educational practices and health-awareness initiatives aligned with their cultural context.
In this research.
SSM functioned not only as an analytical tool but also as a social learning tool oriented toward educational system transformation and community-based health promotion.
The research process was directed toward building an inclusive, adaptive, and locally grounded educational system based on Sundanese wisdom that supports childrenAos growth and well-being.
As an action-oriented methodology.
SSM facilitated critical interaction between researchers and communities to identify problems and design realistic solutions.
This approach integrates technical, social, cultural, and health dimensions in both analysis and decision-making (Checkland, 2.
Within this framework, the study bridged the gap between formal education policy, community participation, and stunting-reduction initiatives at the local level.
This was achieved through constructive dialogue among teachers, parents, health workers, village governments, and the education office.
Thus, the study aligns with the principles of sustainable education and health development that emphasise participation, empowerment, and intersectoral collaboration (Burns et al.
, 2021.
The research design was flexible and adaptive, consistent with SSMAos rejection of linear and deterministic approaches.
Such flexibility was essential in dynamic social contextsAiparticularly in rural areas facing infrastructural limitations, health disparities, and cultural diversity.
In this qualitative approach, the researcher acted as a facilitator, helping stakeholders view the education and health systems from multiple perspectives.
The analysis process was iterative, continuously refining findings according to field realities, including how educational interventions can reinforce parental awareness PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 of child nutrition and stunting prevention.
Therefore, the approach balanced theoretical, empirical, and participatory dimensions coherently.
Conceptually, this research design followed an interpretive paradigm that emphasises understanding the meanings behind human actions and social perceptions.
This differs from positivist paradigms that prioritise generalisation.
The main goal was to explore the subjective experiences of education and health actors in Garut and connect them to broader social systems.
Hence, the study aimed not only to produce practical recommendations but also to enrich theoretical discussions on applying SSM in participatory education and community-based stunting-reduction contexts in Indonesia.
The design aligns with the concept of learning for action, positioning research as a vehicle for social transformation and child well-being improvement (Checkland & Poulter, 2.
Research Location and Participants The study was conducted in Garut Regency.
West Java Province, an area characterised by diverse geographic and socio-economic conditions.
Three districts were purposively selected:
Cisurupan .
ountainous are.
Wanaraja .
emi-urba.
, and Tarogong Kidul .
Location selection was based on variations in educational access, infrastructure conditions, and levels of community involvement in educational decision-making, as well as differences in stunting prevalence across subregions.
Each district presented distinct social contexts and challenges, allowing the researcher to obtain a comprehensive picture of participatory education dynamics and their linkage with community-based stunting reduction efforts.
Hence, geographic and health diversity were crucial factors in analysing the SSM application at the local level (BPS Garut, 2.
The study involved 60 participants selected through purposive sampling based on relevance, direct experience, and involvement in participatory education and community health programs.
This ensured that the data were collected from informants with an in-depth understanding of the research context (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
Participants were divided into six categories: .
, .
parents or guardians .
, .
education office officials .
, .
village or sub-district heads .
, .
school committee members .
, and .
representatives of the business sector, health office, and NGOs .
This distribution reflected SSMAos participatory principle, requiring cross-sector involvement and interconnection between education and health actors to strengthen stunting prevention efforts.
Teachers were selected based on at least three years of teaching experience in remote areas and their engagement in participatory education programs that include school-based health and nutrition Parents and school committee members were chosen for their roles in community-level decision-making and awareness campaigns related to child development and stunting prevention, while education officials and village heads represented public policy dimensions linking education, health, and social welfare.
NGO and private-sector representatives contributed to logistical support, vocational training, and community nutrition initiatives for schools.
The inclusion of these diverse actors enabled the development of a rich picture illustrating systemic relationships among education, health, and community stakeholders in Garut (Danar et al.
, 2.
This cross-sector participation strengthened SSMAos systemic principle, emphasising multiple perspectives in understanding social problems.
Through multi-actor collaboration, the study examined how policy, cultural values, educational practices, and community health behaviours interact to shape local education and stunting-reduction systems.
This process not only produced descriptive understanding but also encouraged participants to become agents of change in both education and health Therefore, the study served as both a reflective and transformative process, reinforcing its role as a medium for collective social learning and community empowerment (Burns et al.
, 2021.
To maintain validity and analytical depth, a total of 60 participants was considered sufficient, following the principle of thematic saturation, typically reached after 12Ae31 in-depth interviews (Guest et al.
, 2.
This number also allowed group comparisons through matrix coding without losing data Geographic and health-related differences among the districts enriched the social and cultural representation of Garut communities.
Hence, the findings hold analytical generalisation power relevant to rural education and stunting-reduction contexts in Indonesia.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 Data Collection Techniques Primary data collection techniques included semi-structured in-depth interviews and participatory observation.
Interviews were conducted to explore participantsAo experiences, perceptions, and views on participatory education practices and their connection to community-based stunting reduction efforts.
Each session lasted 45Ae60 minutes and was recorded for transcription purposes.
Openended questions allowed participants to express their views freely and reflectively, including their perspectives on the role of education in improving parental awareness of nutrition, sanitation, and child This approach enabled a deep exploration of the social, cultural, and institutional values influencing both educational and health-related practices in Garut.
In addition to interviews, participatory observation was carried out to understand social dynamics and interaction patterns among education and health actors.
Observations covered school activities, committee meetings, health-education sessions, and village deliberation forums discussing education and stunting-prevention fund allocations.
Field notes were used to document social contexts, communication patterns, and forms of cooperation among stakeholders from education, health, and community sectors.
Observation data were compared with interview findings to ensure consistency and enrich interpretation.
Thus, observation became an integral part of methodological triangulation (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
The data collection process adhered strictly to ethical research principles.
Each participant received a written informed consent form, and confidentiality was guaranteed.
The researcher maintained respectful and ethical relationships with community members by adopting local cultural principles such as gotong royong .
utual cooperatio.
and musyawarah mufakat .
onsensual These principles align with SSMAos emphasis on community participation as a core element of social change and with the collaborative ethos underpinning local stunting-reduction Therefore, the data collection process was not merely technical but also grounded in humanistic and cultural values.
Data triangulation was implemented by comparing interview results, observational findings, and local policy documents related to education and health.
This strengthened data validity and minimised interpretive bias.
Interviews served as the primary data source, while observation and documentation provided supplementary evidence supporting the interpretation of findings, including cross-sector collaboration between education offices and health offices in promoting child growth The triangulation process ensured that analysis remained objective and empirically based.
Consequently, data quality was upheld in terms of credibility, dependability, and confirmability (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
The entire data collection process also reflected the spirit of action learning, central to SSM.
The researcher not only gathered information but also facilitated social dialogue among education and health actors.
These interactions created collaborative spaces for understanding interrelated problemsAi such as low educational participation and child stuntingAiand for formulating joint solutions.
Thus, the research functioned as a medium for social learning and collective reflection, fully consistent with SSMAos principle of active participation, collaboration, and sustainable community transformation (Checkland, 2.
Data Analysis Techniques and Validity Data were analysed in stages using NVivo 14 software to organise, code, and interpret qualitative information.
The initial stage involved verbatim transcription of interviews and observations to ensure data accuracy.
The next stage applied thematic coding to group information according to meaning and context similarities related to participatory education and community-based stunting Open coding was followed by axial coding to uncover relational patterns among emerging themes, such as collaboration between education and health sectors, parental involvement in nutrition education, and integration of stunting awareness into school and community activities.
The results were visualised through word clouds and matrix coding to depict interconnections between educational participation and stunting-prevention issues (Checkland & Poulter, 2.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 To maintain validity, the study applied triangulation across sources, methods, and theories.
Source triangulation compared information among actor groups .
eachers, officials, parents, health workers, and community member.
method triangulation compared interview, observation, and documentation findings.
and theoretical triangulation linked results with participation, social system, and public health theories (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
Additionally, member checking was conducted by sharing preliminary results with participants from both education and health sectors for feedback, ensuring that the researcherAos interpretations aligned with their lived experiences in promoting participatory learning and stunting prevention.
Reliability was maintained through a documented audit trail of analytical decisions, coding notes, and thematic revisions.
Inter-researcher discussions ensured consistency and reduced personal bias, particularly when interpreting intersections between educational participation and child nutrition Continuous reflexive analysis helped the researcher remain aware of positionality and interpretive influence, especially regarding community power dynamics and cultural sensitivity surrounding stunting issues.
Ethical principles were upheld throughout, respecting participant privacy, child protection considerations, and local cultural values.
Thus, validity and reliability were understood not only in technical terms but also in moral and contextual dimensions, emphasising inclusivity, cross-sector collaboration, and local cultural wisdom as key elements in both participatory education and the stunting reduction agenda (Burns et al.
, 2021.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Result This chapter presents the results of data analysis based on the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) The study was conducted to understand the systemic structure, inter-actor relationships, and conceptual representation of the participatory education system in Garut Regency, particularly in relation to its contribution to the stunting reduction program.
The SSM framework was employed to explore how educational participation, community empowerment, and inter-sectoral collaboration influence awareness and behavioural change regarding child nutrition and health.
The process involved several essential stages, ranging from data organisation to synthesis of results based on the seven stages of SSM.
Each stage of analysis is presented in the form of tables, diagrams, and visualizations that illustrate both the technical process and its conceptual interpretation.
Data Organisation and Reduction The initial stage of data analysis involved organising and reducing raw data, during which all interview and observation records were systematically arranged to ensure consistency and traceability.
The data consisted of 60 interview transcripts, field observation notes, and regional policy documents related to education and stunting prevention programs.
Data reduction was performed by selecting statements relevant to the focus of participatory education systems and their intersection with stunting reduction efforts.
Through this process, 3,456 meaning units were identified and prepared for further coding (Checkland & Poulter, 2.
Table 1.
Initial Data Reduction and Classification Results Participant Category Teachers and Principals Parents and guardians Education Office NGOs and Business Sector Total Number of Transcripts Number of Meaning Units 1,578 1,002 3,456 Contribution (%) Table 1 illustrates the composition of data sources analyzed in this study.
The teacher and principal group provided the largest contribution .
%), reflecting their central role in the educational PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 Parents and guardians contributed 29%, indicating a significant degree of social engagement.
Data from the education office .
%) reflected administrative and policy-related aspects, while NGOs and business sectors .
%) represented external support for educational activities.
This proportional distribution ensured balanced representation of actors within the participatory education system in Garut.
Data Coding Process The second stage involved data coding, conducted through three successive phases: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.
During open coding, 3,456 meaning units were categorized into 286 initial codes.
These were further refined through axial coding into 42 intermediate categories, and finally synthesized into 12 core themes during selective coding.
This process produced a conceptual structure reflecting inter-actor dynamics within the educational system (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
Interview transcript Open Coding Axial Coding Selective Coding Figure 1.
Analytical Process Flow of NVivo 14 Data Coding Based on Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) The visualisation in Figure 1 shows the hierarchical process of data simplification.
This stage functioned to organise dispersed meanings into a directed analytical structure.
The open coding phase captured diverse perceptions, while axial coding established connections among categories based on actor relationships.
Selective coding then synthesised the entire structure into 12 core analytical themes.
This systematic process ensured that large volumes of data were simplified without losing conceptual depth (Checkland & Poulter, 2.
Analysis of Inter-Category Relationships The third stage involved analysing inter-category relationships using the Matrix Coding Query feature in NVivo.
This analysis measured the degree of interaction among actor groups concerning key issues in the education system.
The relationships were expressed as correlation coefficients .
Table 2.
Results of Inter-Category Relationship Analysis (Matrix Coding Quer.
Local Actors Ii Collaboration Correlation Coefficient .
Government Ii Regulation Community Ii Social Values Schools Ii Innovation Average Category Relationship
Frequency Interpretation Strong
Moderate Strong relationship, culturally Strong relationship, adaptive Strong
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 Table 2 shows that actor relationships within GarutAos education system are generally strong, particularly between local actors and collaboration .
= 0.
and between communities and social values .
= 0.
These correlations indicate functional, participatory linkages rather than hierarchical In contrast, governmentAeregulation relationships were more formalistic .
= 0.
, suggesting a predominantly top-down policy approach.
The average correlation .
= 0.
confirms that GarutAos education system operates systemically through strong social interactions (Danar et al.
, 2.
Data Visualisation Analysis The fourth stage involved data visualisation analysis to reinforce coding and correlation findings through visual means.
One of the key visualisations used was a word cloud, representing words Figure 2.
Word Cloud Representation of Dominant Themes in Participatory Education Discourse Figure 2 displays a word cloud where the size of each word represents its frequency in the data.
The words AucollaborationAy and AuparticipationAy appeared most prominently 248 and 212 times, respectively, indicating that cooperative discourse formed the core of participantsAo narratives.
The words Aulocal,Ay Auinnovation,Ay.
Augotong royongAy, and Aukesadaran giziAy .
utual cooperatio.
emphasised that cultural values and local wisdom play crucial roles in shaping participatory education This visualisation reinforces earlier coding results that collaboration and participation are the two principal dimensions of community-based education systems (Marnewick et al.
, 2.
Clustering and Systemic Relationships The fifth stage involved thematic clustering to depict inter-actor relationships within the system using cluster analysis.
The results revealed four major interconnected clusters forming the participatory education cycle.
Figure 3.
Cluster Map of the Participatory Education System
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 Figure 3 illustrates the interaction network among actors forming GarutAos participatory education system.
Horizontal lines represent community-based collaborative relationships .
mong teachers, village heads, and local resident.
, while vertical lines indicate structural relations with governmental institutions.
This pattern demonstrates an open social system with two-way information flows between communities and formal institutions.
The cluster analysis confirms that system effectiveness is largely determined by the intensity of local, horizontal, and participatory interactions (Checkland, 2.
Summary of SSM Analysis Results In the final stage, the research findings were synthesised according to the seven key stages of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM).
This synthesis demonstrates how empirical data were transformed into a conceptual model representing the social reality of the education system.
Table 3.
Summary of Findings Based on SSM Stages SSM Stage Analytical Focus Problem Situation Rich Picture Root Definition Identification of educational context Mapping actor Defining the systemAos CATWOE Analysis Conceptual Model Comparison Identifying system Modeling the ideal Comparing model and Feasible Change Implementing feasible Key Empirical Findings Found actor complexity and access barriers Visualized educational social networks Education as a participatory social Actors: teachers, community, government Collaborative and adaptive model Found gaps in Village-based participatory innovations Systemic Implications System is dynamic and Four main actor clusters Emphasis on gotong royong values Focus on local social Applicable for local policy Need for synchronization of policy and community Toward a sustainable education system Table 3 illustrates the transformation of empirical data into systemic representations through the seven stages of SSM.
This process demonstrates that GarutAos education system functions as a complex social system involving cross-actor interactions.
The rich picture and root definition stages helped the researcher interpret social relations and cultural values, while comparison and feasible change highlighted practical implementation of change.
The resulting model is collaborative, adaptive, and sustainable (Checkland & Poulter, 2007.
Burns et al.
, 2021.
Furthermore, the systemic synthesis also revealed that participatory education efforts in Garut had indirect yet significant implications for reducing stunting prevalence.
Strengthening parental literacy, promoting school-based nutrition education, and integrating health discussions into local curricula were identified as effective collaborative outcomes of the SSM approach.
Discussion Implementation of SSM in Participatory Education for Stunting Reduction The application of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) in GarutAos participatory education context proved effective in addressing social complexity and promoting collaboration between educational and health stakeholders.
The rich picture and root definition stages facilitated shared understanding of systemic challenges such as limited access to schools, poverty-related barriers, and low nutrition As one village head explained.
AuWe realised that stunting is not only a health issue but also PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 an education problemAiwhen parents understand, they actAy (Village Head-.
This supports Checkland & Poulter .
view that SSM functions as a tool for social reflection in unstructured systems.
Similarly.
Harwood .
and Agusta & Ngadimun .
confirmed that SSM enhances participatory governance and facilitates decision-making in rural education.
The study revealed that SSM fostered horizontal communication among stakeholders.
A village head stated.
AuNow we participate in school deliberations, so we can provide input directlyAy (Village Head-.
This illustrates a shift from bureaucratic to participatory practices, empowering communities to engage actively in school governance.
Wibisono & Haryanto .
found similar outcomes, reporting that soft systems approaches strengthen inter-organisational collaboration in local education.
Moreover.
Suwandi & Rakuasa .
demonstrated that digital collaborative systems increased community participation in education management by 28% across rural Indonesia.
SSM also acted as a social learning mechanism for education actors.
This reflective learning also enhanced parentsAo and teachersAo understanding of childrenAos health and nutrition, reinforcing the integration of stunting awareness into participatory education planning.
An education officer explained.
AuWe learned that policy should reflect real community conditions, not just numbers in a reportAy (Education Office-.
This aligns with Argyris .
double-loop learning theory and findings from Saleh & Mulyana .
, showing improved reflective capacity in curriculum design through SSM.
This mutual learning process fostered a sense of co-creation between government and community The methodology also strengthened local capacity for collective decision-making.
A school committee member emphasized.
AuThrough SSM discussions, we can decide solutions together without waiting for instructions from the education officeAy (Committee-.
Similar results were reported by Douthwaite et al.
, .
and Rifandini et al.
, .
, who found that reflective, community-based approaches increased local social initiatives by up to 40%.
Thus.
SSM not only improved social coordination but also cultivated shared ownership of educational outcomes.
The novelty of this study lies in applying SSM as a community-based educational management framework grounded in Indonesian cultural values.
The integration of NVivo-based data analysis with SSM produced a data-driven participatory model distinct from earlier works by Checkland .
and Guilhen et al.
, n.
d, .
, which focused primarily on organisational systems.
Here.
SSM operates as a culturally embedded social management tool, relevant for developing countriesAo education systems.
Actor Involvement and Social Dynamics in Education and Health Cross-sectoral collaboration was a defining feature of GarutAos participatory model.
Teachers, health workers, and village officials collaborated to design school-based nutrition and hygiene Parents were actively involved in awareness campaigns and early childhood monitoring NVivo analysis showed a strong correlation .
= 0.
83, p < 0.
between participatory education practices and the effectiveness of local stunting-reduction programs.
These results confirm that integrating educational participation with community health initiatives strengthens both learning outcomes and childrenAos nutritional well-being.
TeachersAo participation in SSM workshops increased their capacity to link education with public health messages.
One teacher stated.
AuNow we teach about healthy eating in class.
students tell their parents at homeAy (Teacher-.
This demonstrates the social diffusion effect of education-based Meanwhile, parents acknowledged that school involvement raised their awareness of nutrition and hygiene, consistent with BanduraAos .
concept of social learning, where behavioural change is reinforced through observation and participation.
As one teacher noted.
AuWe no longer wait for orders.
we design school programs together with the communityAy (Teacher-.
This finding supports Burns et al.
, .
, who argued that active participation enhances the social legitimacy of education systems.
Likewise.
Tamiang et al.
, .
reported that community engagement improved learning outcomes by 23% in rural Indonesian schools.
ParentsAo involvement emerged as the foundation of collaborative education and stunting A parent shared.
AuWe join school meetings and can express our childrenAos challenges, such PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
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php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 as cost and distanceAy (Parent-.
These meetings also became spaces for discussing early childhood feeding practices, sanitation, and parenting education.
This aligns with Suharto & Hartini .
, who emphasized that community participation promotes transparency in school management and enhances shared responsibility for child development.
Within the SSM framework, this participation signifies a transformation from transactional relationships to reflective social relationships, where citizens become agents of change contributing to both education and health outcomes.
The role of village governments was also vital in fostering cross-sectoral collaboration.
As one village head stated.
AuWe allocate part of the village fund for transportation and scholarships, and some for nutrition programs at the schoolAy (Village Head-.
This finding echoes Nugraha & Lestari .
, who observed that integrating education into village fund policies increased rural school access by 27%.
Such local initiatives demonstrate how participatory governance reinforces the resilience of educational However, education officers highlighted the need to balance local flexibility with national policy frameworks: AuParticipation must still align with the national curriculumAy (Education Office-.
This supports Ibrahim & Fauzi .
, who warned that excessive regional autonomy without national standards may lead to inequality.
SSM, in this regard, serves as a bridge aligning local contextual values with formal regulations through reflective multi-actor dialogue, ensuring that educational and health interventions are both culturally relevant and policy-compliant.
Integration of Local Cultural Values in Education System Transformation Local cultural values such as gotong royong .
utual cooperatio.
and musyawarah .
were found to be vital components of GarutAos participatory education system, particularly in the integration of education and community health initiatives for stunting reduction.
NVivo analysis revealed high-frequency keywords like Augotong royong,Ay Aulocal,Ay Audeliberation,Ay and Aunutrition Ay A teacher remarked.
AuStudents understand lessons better when connected to their local culture and everyday health practicesAy (Teacher-.
This aligns with Wulan et al.
, .
and Puspitasari .
, who demonstrated that culturally contextual learning increases student motivation and engagement in rural settings.
Similarly.
Rifandini et al.
, .
found that culture-based education enhances social cohesion and community interest in schooling.
Sunarya.
, & Ruswadi.
also stated that understanding the interaction between local culture and health improves students' understanding of the concept.
Deliberation .
functioned as a social mechanism for collective decision-making that bridged education and health priorities.
As one village head explained.
AuWe discuss school policies in the village hall so everyone feels involvedAiincluding health programs like feeding activities and nutrition sessionsAy (Village Head-.
Hidayat & Sari .
and Agusta & Ngadimun .
reported that local deliberation forums improved decision quality by up to 40%.
Within this context.
SSM operates as a cultural enabler, integrating local norms and participatory dialogue into systemic governance that connects educational decision-making with public health initiatives.
Mutual cooperation .
otong royon.
also served as social capital sustaining educational and health activities.
A parent shared.
AuWe canAot always help with money, but we work together to repair classrooms and prepare nutritious food for school programsAy (Parent-.
This supports Bourdieu .
social capital theory and Hermawan .
findings that community solidarity reinforces educational sustainability.
Collective values strengthen the soft systems approach by connecting social structures with tangible collective action.
In Garut, gotong royong was not only about physical collaboration but also about shared responsibility in ensuring child welfare through collective efforts such as school gardens, feeding programs, and nutrition-awareness campaigns.
These actions demonstrate how traditional values underpin both education and stunting prevention through community-driven systemic learning As one school committee member noted.
AuWhen local values are respected, people are more willing to participateAy (Committee-.
This resonates with Yuliani & Ramadhan .
, who found that cultural recognition increases community ownership of educational policies.
NVivo analysis PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
id/index.
php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 showed a correlation between AucultureAy and AuparticipationAy .
= 0.
, confirming cultureAos role as a social driver of education in Garut.
The results further indicate that participatory mechanisms developed through SSM not only improved governance but also strengthened the linkage between education, local culture, and public Several schools, supported by village governments, began integrating health-literacy sessions, traditional food awareness programs, and family-based nutrition discussions into extracurricular activities marking early forms of education-based stunting prevention rooted in cultural values.
The novelty of this section is the conceptual development of the Culturally Integrated Soft Systems Methodology (C-SSM) model, which fuses SSMAos systemic reflection with IndonesiaAos indigenous values and health-promotion practices.
Unlike Western SSM models (Checkland, 2000.
Guilhen et al.
, n.
C-SSM is grounded in gotong royong and musyawarah, resulting in an educational and community-health system that is both systemically desirable and culturally grounded.
Through this integration.
GarutAos participatory education framework becomes a practical model for aligning local cultural wisdom with sustainable stunting-reduction strategies in rural Indonesia.
Effectiveness of SSM as a Sustainable Education Management Approach NVivo findings revealed that SSM significantly enhanced sustainable education management in Garut.
As one education officer remarked.
AuThe SSM discussions made our policies more realistic because they reflect school conditionsAy (Education Office-.
Trinh et al.
, .
and Yuliani & Ramadhan .
also found that soft systems approaches increased public management efficiency by 30Ae35%.
In this context.
SSM functioned as a reflective tool ensuring the continuity of communitybased education systems.
Teachers also reported positive impacts on pedagogical innovation.
AuWe design learning activities ourselves from SSM discussions,Ay said one teacher (Teacher-.
This supports Suwandi & Rakuasa .
, who found that community participation in learning design enhances the local relevance of digital education.
SSM enables schools to adapt socially while maintaining alignment with national curriculum standards.
The private sector also reinforced educational sustainability through collaboration.
An NGO representative shared.
AuWeAore no longer just sponsors.
weAore partners in skills trainingAy (NGO-.
Ospina et al.
, .
found that cross-sector collaboration extended community education program sustainability by 40%.
These results demonstrate that SSM fosters a supportive social ecosystem that bridges institutions and communities.
A village head stated.
AuWe agreed to allocate village funds for transportation and scholarshipsAy (Village Head-.
Kusuma & Widodo .
found comparable results in East Java, where soft systems approaches improved social budget effectiveness by 25%.
This indicates that SSM not only strengthens coordination but also improves policy efficiency.
The novelty here is the empirical validation of SSM as a Sustainable Educational Management Framework at the local level.
The integration of six actor groups teachers, parents, village heads, education officers, school committees, and NGOs makes this approach multidimensional.
Unlike traditional analytical SSM, this research frames SSM as an adaptive social management model that unites policy, culture, and collective action into a coherent, sustainable system.
Theoretical and Practical Implications of the Study Theoretically, this study extends the application of Soft Systems Methodology from technical organizational contexts to culturally rooted social education systems.
An NGO representative noted.
AuWe also learned to understand the education system we are part of, not just as respondentsAy (NGO.
This supports Burns et al.
, .
, who proposed transformational learning through collective reflection that reshapes thought and action.
The findings also complement Yamagata-Lynch .
, emphasising systemic awareness in teacher capacity building.
PAG
Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
id/index.
php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 Practically.
SSM proved to enhance community-based education policy accountability.
parent explained.
AuSchool decisions are now discussed with community membersAy (Parent-.
This corroborates Adi & Suryani .
, who found that participatory policies generate stronger social legitimacy than bureaucratic models.
Thus, soft systems approaches can serve as democratic decisionmaking frameworks relevant for decentralised education.
From a managerial standpoint, teachers emerged as social change agents.
One teacher stated.
AuWeAove learned to understand the system, not just to teachAy (Teacher-.
This aligns with Yuliani & Ramadhan .
and Suwandi & Rakuasa .
, who found that reflective training enhances teachersAo ability to manage community-based innovation.
SSM provides a reflective framework that enables institutions to evaluate effectiveness dynamically.
A village head added.
AuThis approach helps us see the link between village funds and learning outcomesAy (Village Head-.
This supports Purwanto & Hartono .
, who emphasized that systemic reflection improves the adaptability of local education policies.
Hence, this study contributes practically to developing collaborative education policy at the grassroots level.
The main novelty of this study is the integration of three conceptual elements .
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), .
empirical NVivo analysis, and .
Indonesian local cultural values into the Culturally-Driven Systemic Education Management (CDSEM) model.
This model combines systemic learning, social collaboration, and cultural adaptation as a sustainable educational management The approach not only reinforces social systems theory (Checkland, 2000.
Midgley, 2.
but also offers practical contributions for participatory education design in developing nations such as Indonesia.
CONCLUSION
This study concludes that the implementation of the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is effective in strengthening participatory education systems in Garut Regency through reflective, collaborative, and culturally grounded approaches that also contribute to community-based stunting reduction efforts.
The results of the NVivo analysis reveal that interactions among education stakeholdersAiteachers, parents, village heads, education office officials, health workers, school committees, and representatives from business and non-governmental organisationsAiform an adaptive social system oriented toward collective transformation in both education and public health.
The application of SSM enables stakeholders to understand the interconnections among policies, resources, cultural norms, and social values, thereby producing more contextual and realistic educational and health-related decisions.
Moreover, this approach shifts communication patterns from hierarchical to horizontal, strengthening social trust and inter-sectoral collaboration among the involved actors.
Thus.
SSM functions not only as a systems analysis tool but also as a social learning mechanism that fosters collective awareness and action in managing education and reducing stunting prevalence.
The integration of local cultural values, such as gotong royong .
utual cooperatio.
and musyawarah .
, serves as the cohesive factor that renders GarutAos education and health system inclusive and sustainable.
These cultural values reinforce the communityAos sense of ownership toward education and public health, providing the foundation for joint decision-making at both the village and school levels.
In the context of stunting prevention, these values encouraged parents, teachers, and local leaders to engage in collective nutrition education, child monitoring, and local food utilisation programs.
The findings demonstrate that synergy among local governments, educational institutions, and communities produces a participatory education management model that is systemically desirable, culturally grounded, and health-oriented.
Based on these findings, it is recommended that local governments and educational institutions adopt the SSM approach in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of education and health policies, particularly those aimed at reducing stunting.
This approach should be institutionalised as a reflective and collaborative framework to enhance community participation and the effectiveness of cross-sectoral coordination among education and health actors.
Teachers, health workers, and school principals are encouraged to engage in SSM-based reflective training to collectively and adaptively PAG Journal Homepage : https://jurnal.
id/index.
php/educenter/index Educenter : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Vol 4 No 3 2025 identify systemic problems related to learning, nutrition, and child development.
The government should also strengthen policy support that promotes the integration of local cultural values into school curricula, parenting education, and community-based stunting prevention programs.
REFERENCE