Management competencies of public secondary school administrators in the division of Eastern Samar as determinant of empowerment : its impact on government service / 6
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Maximo C. Aljibe.
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- xxiv, 116 pages 28 cm.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 2011.;A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate School Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Public Management.
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ABSTRACT This study purported to describe the management competencies of public secondary school administrators in the division of Eastern Samar as determinants of empowerment and their impact on government service. The descriptive correlational method of research was employed utilizing purposive sampling and complete enumeration technique. A total of seventeen (17) public secondary school administrators and four hundred eighty six (486) teachers totaling to five hundred three (503) respondents participated in this study. Specifically, the study determined the level of management competencies of public secondary school administrators in relation to instructional leadership, work values, commitment, school business operation and administrative competence. It likewise established the extent to which the public secondary school administrators exercise their level of empowerment in line with clarity of purpose, interpersonal relationship, fairness and recognition, participation and communication and organizational morale to improve school performance. The study also determined the average performance of the seventeen (17) public secondary schools from 2005 and 2010 resulting from the exercise of empowerment in relation to failure rate, repetition rate, promotion rate and the National Achievement Test (NAT) performance through mean percentage scores (MPS) in Mathematics, Science, English, and Social Studies particularly in the second year level of the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). Significant relationships were likewise determined between management competencies and levels of empowerment. The study pointed out significant differences in the assessment of management competencies and levels of empowerment between the administrators and their teachers. It also identified and ranked the barriers that prevented the public secondary school administrators fromexercising their empowerment. Strategic direction was made as an off-shoot from the findings of the study that shall enhance the management competencies and levels of empowerment for better service. The management competencies of the public secondary schools administrators revealed an overall satisfactory rating except in the area of commitment which obtained a very satisfactory rating. This means that the public secondary school administrators ad exercised their management functions often exceeding expectations only which requires improvement until reaching and sustaining a highly consistent level of performance. On the other hand, the level of empowerment as exercised by the public secondary school administrators had generally obtained a satisfactory rating only except for clarity of purpose and interpersonal relations which were rated very satisfactory. This means that the exercise of empowerment often exceeds expectations but requires much improvement to achieve a highly consistent level of performance. In relation to the school performance indicators, it was revealed that 5.25 percent accounted for failure rate showing more males and females fail in a given year within the last (5) years. Repetition rate also recorded at 2.04 percent in the last five (5) years wherein males posted a higher rate than females. On the other hand, the promotion rate obtained an average 92.27 percent representing those who get promoted into the next higher level in the following year where females posted a higher promotion rate versus the males. Based on these levels of performance, there is a need to improve the internal efficiency system for the concerned schools through the implementation of special programs and projects particularly in terms of student tracking system and through enhanced school heads capacity to manage schools. In relation to the National Achievement Test (NAT), the data showed that Year 2 performances of students were almost all moving towards the mastery level. However, this indicator still falls behind the required passing standard of 75 percent Mean Percentage Score (MPS) based on national target. These findings call for an intervention program that would finally help achieve the gap in relation to improved performance. Capacity building for administrators and their teachers would help transform the teaching and learning situation for better learning outcomes. Test of relationship using the Pearson Correlation revealed overwhelming findings which indicated that the management competencies of the secondary school administrators in terms of instructional leadership, work values, commitment, school business operations, and administrative competence were all significantly correlated to the empowerment dimensions were tested at 0.01 level of significance. Test of differences in the assessment of management competencies revealed that there was a significant difference in their responses in terms of instructional leadership, work values, and school business operations while commitment and administrative competence did not have any significant difference in their responses. On empowerment, clarity of purpose had no significant difference in their responses while interpersonal relationships, fairness and recognition of organizational morale and participation and communication showed significant differences in their responses. The mean ranks of perceived barriers to the exercise of empowerment revealed that lack of funds to implement programs, projects and activities was the number one barrier to empowerment, followed by lack of consistency between professed goals and educational needs of the students and the community, and the next was on substandard structures and facilities. The least perceived barrier was few teachers are attracted to teach in high school due to low salary, which means that teachers are motivated to teach not necessarily because of salary but because of their high level commitment and passion for teaching. Conclusions Based on the findings of the study the following conclusions and implications were drawn: 1. The management competencies of public secondary school administrators in Eastern Samar in terms of instructional leadership, work values, commitment, school business operations and administrative competence were satisfactory. It can be therefore be said that their performance often exceed expectations that they have displayed a high competency related skills, abilities, initiatives and productivity exceeding requirements in many areas but not all. The standards require a highly consistent level of performance where self-direction of the school administrators is evident. 2. The level of empowerment practice was satisfactory which shows need to further demonstrate a highly consistent level of their empowerment behaviors. 3. The school performance indicators in terms of failure rate and repetition rate were evidently alarming, while the promotion rate was a declining trend which necessitates program interventions through student tracking system and capacity building for both the school administrators and their teachers. 4. The National Achievement Test (NAT) performance revealed that majority of the students were moving towards the mastery level. Intervention programs would be needed to improve performance and learning outcomes. 5. The management competencies and empowerment practives were found to have a strong positive relationship based on Pearson Correlation printout using a 0.01 level of significance. 6. The perceived barriers affecting the exercise of empowerment of the public secondary school administrators revealed that lack of funds for programs, projects and activities was identified as the number one major barrier to the exercise of empowerment. The least perceived barrier was few teachers attracted to teach in high school due to low salary which could meant the teachers are motivated to teach not necessarily because of salary but due to their high level of commitment and passion for teaching. Recommendations 1. In school development and improvement process, leadership and management of the school administrators are crucial. It is thus important to empower the administrators by stressing their roles and strengthening their competencies in leadership and management 2. Generate a database of success stories in order to create a pool resource persons in the public secondary schools for the conduct of empowerment programs and dialogues. 3. Initiate action programs geared at raising school performance by systematically conducting training programs for school administrators to widen their horizons, renew their sense of passion and commitment and capacitate them into effectively demonstrate their managerial and leadership competencies 4. Specific solutions are more helpful than one-size-fits-all approaches. It is important to agree guiding strategies which are common for guiding specific intervention and school programs in the local school communities such as by recognizing the crucial role of the school administrators and the teachers in school development efforts. 5. In relation to performance indicators, it is important to implement interventions on a reasonable scale and timeframe to basically introduce incremental improvements in relation to performance. 6. To address the problems on school performance indicators, setup advocacy on school enrolment in coordination with LGUs, NGOs, religious sectors, and others through student tracking system and other alternative delivery modes for students who are in difficult or are in different situations in life. 7. In relation to the barriers affecting empowerment practice, basic needs must be given priority over non-essential factors. It is fundamental and non-negotiable that there are enough standard structures and facilities such as classrooms and adequate provision of instructional materials to teachers and students. If these basic needs are not provided, intervention programs will no