Bridging teacher and student success: Investigating job satisfaction and self-efficacy in non-Islamic vs. Islamic schools in Indonesia

Although teacher job satisfaction and self-efficacy are widely recognised as important for student learning and well-being, little is known about how their effects differ across educational contexts. This study examines how these factors shape student outcomes in Indonesian Islamic (IS) and non-Islamic/general (NS) secondary schools. Using a two-stage stratified sampling method, data were collected from 1,319 students in 64 classrooms, and multigroup and multilevel path analysis (Mplus 8.10) was conducted to assess cross-level relationships. The findings show clear differences between school types. In NS, teacher job satisfaction (TCJOBS) directly predicted student achievement, whereas in IS, its effect operated indirectly through student motivation. Teacher self-efficacy (TCEFF) directly improved achievement in IS, but in NS, it influenced achievement indirectly through TCJOBS. Job status strongly predicted TCJOBS, with permanent teachers reporting higher satisfaction, and gender differences showed higher self-efficacy among female teachers. While TCJOBS and TCEFF were not directly linked to student well-being or anxiety, higher student well-being consistently enhanced achievement and reduced anxiety in both school systems. This study demonstrates how teacher-related factors operate differently across educational frameworks, offering important insights for targeted policy and professional development.