Accountability of Learning Leaders in Selected Public Elementary Schools in the Three City Divisions of Batangas: Basis for a Proposed Management Plan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Education is one of the substantial factors for efficiency and speed of development. It presents social value in itself because operations, improvements, and changes in social relations depend most on people's knowledge and education. It qualifies a person to become an active agent for economic and social changes. A person’s level of education helps him/her earn respect and recognition. Transparent and accountable school management will help attract greater participation of all stakeholders. Through this, the researcher wanted to help her fellow elementary learning leaders overcome challenges in their effort to ensure accountability in school operations through a proposed management plan.

METHODS

Using descriptive research, the researcher designed, collected and analyzed the research through observation, documentary analysis, and interview. These instruments allowed the researcher to uncover the ways learning leaders employ in ensuring transparency and accountability in their school management. This research design will help her in this research work most effectively.

RESULTS

Public elementary school leaders ensure accountability in managing public schools on a great extent. This was assessed by the learning leaders themselves and the teachers, considering school leadership, instructional leadership, school management and operations, fiscal management, and school-based human resource management as the effective tools for ensuring accountability in institutions.

DISCUSSIONS

Learning leaders should initiate means to involve internal and external stakeholders and establish a shared responsibility and accountability in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating school plans, programs and projects. They should work with teachers while performing actions for instructional leadership and they must set guidelines and mechanisms together with other internal and external stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability in overseeing school operations. They should also manifest utmost transparency in ensuring the professional development of teachers by making sure that the standard qualifications during promotion are followed, that teachers are selected in a task related to their area of competence and that teachers are given equal opportunities to attend seminars, workshops, training and the like, whether free or with fee. Lastly, they should modify the proposed management plan before its adoption.