THE HEADMASTER'S LEADERSHIP IN DEALING WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CRISIS SITUATION IN SOUTHERN KALIMANTAN INDONESIA

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) demands leaders at various levels. The Covid-19 outbreak was an unexpected outbreak, an outbreak with a large scale and extraordinary speed, resulting in a high level of uncertainty that caused disorientation, loss of control of emotions, and high emotional disturbance. The humanitarian casualties caused by Covid-19 have created concern for the community and the world of education in particular. In this situation, the people who are used as a foundation by the community are leaders (the university rector and headmaster as leaders in education). The leaders are expected to be able to make accurate decisions to overcome the problems that are happening so that the sustainability of the education process for their children is maintained. Covid-19 pandemic with its uncertainties has also made the leaders of educational institutions stuttering in responding. At first, leaders at various levels regarded the crisis as something normal, and even tended to underestimate it; including the possibility of a crisis and the impact, it can cause. They began to respond when realized the impact of the crisis. But they cannot respond in a ready state, by following a plan that has been prepared previously. Most important in dealing with the current health crisis, leaders must recognize that a major crisis has occurred. Maybe this is a difficult step, especially at the beginning of the crisis. The purpose of this study is to examine the problem and obtain a clear meaning about the principal's leadership in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.