Project CATALYST: Mobilization of Stakeholders in Improving the Percentage of attendance of Grade Four Learners at Marciana P. Catolos Memorial Elementary School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Learners' attendance plays a significant role in terms of their learning outcomes and social development. As teachers, we want only what is best for our learners yet this perennial problem concerning learners' school attendance still remains one of the many barriers to accessing education and a major factor contributory to their poor academic performance and oftentimes resulting to increased dropout rates which affects the overall performance of the school as a whole despite of free basic education offered and no collection policies strictly implemented by the Department of Education to completely eradicate "out of school youths" and rule out any reason for parents not to send their children to school. Habitual absenteeism also hinders children from the benefits of social interaction and development with their peers. Several school programs such as indicated in DO 51, S. 2016 otherwise known as the School-Based Feeding Program is also aimed at increasing school attendance, DO 20, S. 2002 or otherwise known as Reducing School Celebrations and Non-Instructional Activities and Maximizing Time for Learning is also being implemented by the Department of Education to address and resolve issues on classroom attendance. All of these, in consonance with the Education for All Goals of 2015 which is aimed at providing basic competencies for all that will bring about functional literacy for all.

METHODS

The study primarily aimed to determine if there is a significant difference between the percentage of attendance of grade four learners at Marciana P. Catolos Memorial Elementary School in the District of Tanay IB school year 2018-2019 and the level of the learners' percentage of attendance before and after undergoing several interventions through Project CATALYST (Combat Absenteeism to Acquire Learning and Yield Self-Transformation) such as orientation of parents on gender sensitivity and children's welfare reiterating the importance and benefits of sending their children to school regularly and home visitations to learners particularly those with frequent absences otherwise categorized as learners at risk of dropping out were mainly facilitated and co-conducted by stakeholders. Single Subject Research Design (singlecase experimental design) was utilized in the conduct of the action research. The subject of the action research was the grade four learners of Marciana P. Catolos Memorial Elementary School and the School Register Form (SF 1) and Daily Attendance Report of Learners (SF 2) were the main sources of data. Various statistical methods were also utilized to answer the research questions in determining the profile of the subject of the study, level of percentage of attendance, and the significant difference between the percentage of attendance of grade four learners before and after undergoing several interventions.

RESULTS

Of the 43 subjects of the study, 23 or 53% were males and 20 or 47% were females. With regards to age, 36 or 84% were 8-10 years old, 6 or 14% were 11-13 years old, and 1 or 2% was 14-16 years old. In terms of the level of the percentage of attendance before undergoing the interventions, the mean was 89.21 and a standard deviation of 7.40 with a verbal interpretation of satisfactory. After undergoing the interventions, the level of the percentage of attendance had a mean of 90.74 and a standard deviation of 6.19 with a verbal interpretation of very satisfactory. There was also a considerable significant difference between the percentage of attendance of grade four learners before and after undergoing the interventions.

DISCUSSIONS

Given the results of the conducted action research, it is truly apparent that mobilization of stakeholders in facilitating and co-conducting of the interventions through project CATALYST indeed contributed to the improved percentage of attendance of grade four learners of Marciana P. Catolos Memorial Elementary School and is therefore highly recommended to be undertaken by every grade level teacher, the school itself as well as other schools to ensure that learners have access to quality basic education and maximum participation through regular school attendance and come up with an ideal positive learning outcomes and social development in the process.