Evaluating Village Administration Across Five Governance Domains: Evidence from Apenas Village, Jayawijaya Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Village administration plays a crucial role in strengthening transparency, accountability, and efficiency in local governance, particularly in rural Indonesia. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of village administration across five mandated governance domains—general, population, financial, development, and other administration—using evidence from the Apenas Village Office in Jayawijaya Regency. Employing a descriptive quantitative design with saturated sampling, data were collected from all village officials through structured questionnaires, direct observation, and document review, and analyzed using descriptive statistics to assess performance levels. The results reveal an overall “good” performance with a mean score of 47.76, though variation across domains was significant. General, population, and development administration performed very well due to standardized procedures and visible outcomes, while financial administration scored lower because of weaknesses in budgeting and financial literacy. The lowest performance was found in “other administration,” which involves documenting village deliberations, BPD activities, and adat institutions, reflecting challenges in inter-institutional coordination. These findings align with existing studies showing that routine, internal tasks are performed more effectively than functions requiring technical expertise or broader participation. Theoretically, the study reinforces institutional and participatory governance frameworks, while practically, it underscores the importance of capacity-building, financial training, and participatory documentation. Policy implications include the need for differentiated interventions that strengthen weaker domains while maintaining consistency in routine administration. By highlighting both strengths and weaknesses, this study contributes to the literature on village governance and offers valuable insights for improving local administration in Indonesia.