THE CORRELATION BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND THE PERFORMANCE OF VILLAGE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN BONTO KATUTE VILLAGE

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between educational background and the performance of village government personnel in Bonto Katute Village, Sinjai Borong District, Sinjai Regency. Educational background is considered an important component of human capital that contributes to employees' competencies, administrative capabilities, and public service performance. However, empirical evidence regarding its influence on village government performance remains limited, particularly in rural governance contexts. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach involving five purposively selected informants consisting of the Village Head, Village Secretary, Chairperson of the Village Consultative Body, village staff, and community representatives. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation and analyzed using the interactive model of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that educational background is positively associated with employee performance across five dimensions: work quality, work quantity, responsibility, teamwork, and work discipline. Village officials whose educational qualifications are more relevant to governmental administration generally demonstrate stronger administrative competence, better understanding of regulations, and greater adaptability to organizational changes. Nevertheless, educational background alone does not determine performance. Work experience, organizational coordination, leadership support, supervision, and digital competence also substantially influence employee effectiveness. The study concludes that improving village government performance requires an integrated human resource development strategy that combines competency-based recruitment, continuous professional training, digital literacy enhancement, and systematic performance evaluation. These findings provide practical implications for strengthening the quality of village governance and improving public service delivery in rural areas