Facilities management practice in traditional pondok institution

The pondok educational system is the earliest in the Malay Archipelago that is focused on Islamic studies. Since then, the development of the pondok requires more attention in many aspects. Pondok Institution (PI) as a traditional Islamic boarding school, face unique financial management issues due to its dependence on community contributions and often inconsistent policy frameworks. These have caused the study environment in PIs to still lack especially in its facilities although the need for sufficient facilities in PIs can create a conducive environment and promote positive teaching and learning process. Therefore, this research is aimed to propose practical strategies to improve facilities management practice in traditional pondok institutions. This research consists of three objectives; first is to identify the availability of facilities provided in PIs, second is to examine the barriers in practising the facilities management provided in PIs and third is to propose practical strategies to improve facilities management practice in PIs. The STO (Strategic-Tactical-Operational) level identified to become a strategic way for the effectiveness of facilities management practice in PIs. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative method by observation and quantitative method by questionnaires surveys, the study chose Kelantan as the sample for data collection due to this state having the highest number for PIs compared to the other states in Malaysia. Five pondoks have been selected as the observation sites to meet the objective one, while objective two and three are achieved by questionnaires survey. Observation is used to analyse the data for objective one, while SPSS (version 25) is used to answer the objective two and three with the frequency analysis are obtained to as an analysis for these objectives. The study identifies insufficient funding, inconsistent policies, and poor maintenance planning as key barriers to effective facilities management practice in PIs. It highlights the need for standardized guidelines, centralized governance, improved funding, and stronger regulatory compliance. Enhanced collaboration among stakeholders is also recommended. The conclusions drawn from this study provide valuable insights for policymakers, administrators, and the broader community involved in the support and management of Pondok Institutions.