Implementation of Gulayan Sa Paaralan in Public Elementary Schools of District I-A, San Carlos City Division

Abstract

The Gulayan sa Paaralan Program was introduced to strengthen food security, promote environmental awareness, and encourage sustainable gardening practices among learners and school communities. Despite its long-standing implementation, varying levels of compliance and persistent challenges have continued to affect its overall effectiveness in public elementary schools. This study aimed to assess the extent of implementation of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program in public elementary schools in District I-A, San Carlos City Division, Pangasinan, focusing on capacity-building, establishment and maintenance of school gardens, sustainability initiatives, advocacy campaigns, and community engagement. It also sought to determine differences in perception between teachers and school heads and to identify the seriousness of problems encountered in implementing the program.

A descriptive-survey research design was employed, involving teachers and school heads through total enumeration sampling. Data were collected using an adopted and validated questionnaire and analyzed using weighted mean to determine the extent of program implementation, t-test to examine differences in perceptions, and descriptive statistics to assess the seriousness of identified problems.

Results revealed that the overall implementation of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program was rated at a moderate level. Among the domains, advocacy campaigns obtained the highest level of implementation, while establishment, maintenance, and sustainability of school gardens showed the lowest. Findings also indicated no significant difference between the perceptions of teachers and school heads regarding the program’s implementation. The problems encountered were assessed as moderately serious, reflecting challenges that affect program continuity but do not critically hinder its operation. Based on these results, an action plan was formulated to strengthen compliance, enhance capacity, and improve sustainability efforts for the program.

The study highlights the need for continuous support, community partnerships, and structured monitoring to maximize the impact of Gulayan sa Paaralan in promoting food security and environmental stewardship in schools.