21st Century School Heads Instructional Leadership and Management Skills: A Basis For A Proposed Intervention Plan

Abstract

This descriptive-comparative study assessed the instructional leadership and management skills of school heads from Gattaran East, West, and Central Districts in Cagayan, Philippines, during the 2024-2025 school year, using data from school heads through total enumeration and teachers through simple random sampling with Slovin's formula. A survey questionnaire based on DepEd Memorandum No. 024 s 2020 - Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads was utilized to assess the instructional leadership and management skills of school heads. Findings revealed school heads were mostly middle-aged, female, doctorate holders, Principal II positions, with moderate years of service and extensive trainings. Both groups rated instructional leadership as Outstanding in assessment of learning, program implementation, and supervision, but Very Satisfactory in program development and adaptation. Management skills were Outstanding across operations, fiscal management, and technology use. Significant differences emerged in the assessment of learning, with teachers noting greater resource-related challenges such as facilities and supervision. Schools were mostly small, at basic SBM levels, and Outstanding in OPCR ratings. Conclusions highlight gaps between groups, signaling needs for enhanced SBM practices despite high performance. A proposed intervention plan recommends targeted DepEd training, capacity-building, dissemination of findings, and implementation of collaborative, technology-enabled strategies to bridge gaps and advance instructional excellence.