Adapting the 5R Culture to Optimize School Facilities and Infrastructure: A Qualitative Case Study at an Indonesian Elementary School

Abstract

This study examines the adaptation of the 5R culture (Ringkas, Rapi, Resik, Rawat, and Rajin), originally developed in industrial settings, to the educational context for optimizing school facilities and infrastructure. A descriptive qualitative case study was conducted at SD Negeri Sokowaten Baru, selected because the school has implemented the 5R culture in managing and utilizing its facilities and infrastructure. Data were collected in June–July 2026 from five informants, comprising the principal, a staff member responsible for facilities and infrastructure, a classroom teacher, and two students, through observations, interviews, and documentation. Data were analyzed thematically through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, with source and method triangulation used to strengthen the credibility of the findings. The findings indicate that adapting the 5R culture in the school context extends beyond maintaining cleanliness and order to supporting systematic facilities management, shared responsibility, and a conducive learning environment. The implementation of the five principles contributed to more efficient inventory management, strengthened collaboration among the principal, teachers, students, and parents, and encouraged students’ discipline and responsibility in maintaining school facilities. Digital administration through the SIMAS application supported the Rawat principle by facilitating asset documentation and monitoring but did not constitute the core of the 5R culture. This study contributes a practice pattern demonstrating how an industrial-origin 5R framework can be adapted to school facilities and infrastructure management. Although the findings are context-specific, the practices identified may provide a transferable reference for other educational settings when adapted to their respective organizational and institutional conditions.