ABSTRACT
This study focused on the assessment of the level of management competence of school heads, their profile, and the issues and challenges. The descriptive research design using the quantitative and qualitative approach was utilized in this study employing a researcher – made questionnaire. Focus group discussion was used to identify the issues and challenges encountered in managing schools. Respondents were 261 school heads and 373 teachers in Batangas Province. Weighted mean, t – test, and ANOVA were utilized as statistical tools to treat gathered data. The results revealed that school heads are mostly female, experienced, have master’s degree and are highly trained. School heads demonstrate high competence in management in terms of instructional leadership, human resource management and development, learning environment, parents’ involvement and community partnership, and school leadership management and operations and moderate competence in some areas of research management. School heads and teachers have varied views in line with human resource management and development, instructional leadership, and research management and similar views in line with learning environment, parent’s involvement and community partnership, and school leadership management operations. Age, sex, years of service, and trainings and seminars are deviating factors for management competence while educational attainment is not. Resistance to change and professional growth; resources; communication and stakeholder participation; and administrative and bureaucratic constraints are the issues and challenges encountered in managing schools. A sustainable management program entitled EMPOWER (Embedding Purposeful Operations with Excellent Resources) was hereby proposed in line with the findings.
Keywords: sustainable management; competence; school head
INTRODUCTION
Management competence of school leaders is a crucial aspect of school operations. School heads need to be competent in several areas, such as instructional leadership, human resource management and development, learning environment, parents’ involvement and community partnership, school leadership and operations, and research management. These areas are essential aspects that need to be managed effectively to promote sustainable management for the school and students’ welfare.
On a global scale, there is a standard for assessing the management operations of school heads. This standard applies to management systems used by educational institutions. Put slightly differently, ISO 21001 is about how an organization does its work and provides a common management tool for organizations that provide educational products and services that are capable of meeting the requirements and needs of learners and other customers.
In the Philippines, the role of school management in improving teacher quality is now more clearly defined with the enactment of a landmark education policy that sets professional standards for leaders of the country's schools. The Department of Education published DepEd Order 24, series of 2020 or the Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH).
However, school heads have not sustained their management competence (Arif et al., 2019). Teachers, students, and the school reflect this. This low level of management skill posed significant concern. Teachers need the guidance of school heads to improve the delivery of learning. This indicates that the effectiveness of the school heads is important in supporting better academic performance. However, there are many issues and challenges faced by school heads in improving management competence One of the perceived reasons for the continued decline in student achievement and low academic achievement in public schools is the poor management competence demonstrated by many school heads.
Given the above scenario, the researcher, being a school head, also observed that the school heads are facing challenges in managing schools. Therefore, the researcher aimed to determine the level of management competence of school heads. Empowering the school heads would help produce competent teachers and, in turn, excellent students.
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