Four-Day School Week and the Stakeholders’ Well-Being in the Public Schools: Basis for an Enhanced School Annual Implementation Plan

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the relevance of the four-day school week and stakeholders’ well-being in public schools as a basis for enhancing the School Annual Implementation Plan. Physical health, mental strength, family and relationship fulfillment, school morale, and financial expenses were the parameters of well-being. The descriptive method of research was used to examine the assessments of the various cross-sections of the population of 3,135 represented by 434 randomly selected Grade 9 students, teachers, and head teachers as respondents from three selected public secondary schools in the Marilao South District, Division of Bulacan, for the school year 2024–2025.  An expert-validated research instrument anchored on the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework and aligned with the MATATAG Curriculum of the Department of Education was used to collect the pertinent data.  The percentage, mean, median, Kruskall-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney U Test were used as statistical tools to organize, analyze, and interpret the collected data.

The study found out that the respondents were undivided with high conformity on the relevance of the four-day school week to their well-being, particularly in improving physical health, mental strength, family and relationship fulfillment, school morale, and financial expenses, making it a supportive basis for enhancing the School Annual Implementation Plan. Recommendations were made for educational leaders and policymakers to consider the fourday school week and its positive impact on stakeholder well-being. The findings may also guide the enhancement of the School-Based Management AIP with well-being-focused strategies.