Abstract

Newly promoted school heads encounter challenges as they begin their duties and responsibilities, specifically in dealing with school leadership. This study was conducted to determine the challenges of the newly promoted school heads in school leadership in a public school setting. Specifically, it aimed to assess their characteristics; describe the challenges they faced in school leadership; identify how they handled the leadership challenges; and determine the kind of preparation and training in school leadership that they need. A qualitative case study approach was employed in this study. The survey, semi-structured interview, and observation were utilized in gathering the data. The participants of this study are the six (6) newly promoted school heads from Kadingilan I and II Districts from the year 2020-2022. This study utilized the three concurrent flows of activity in analyzing the data by Miles et al. (2014), which include: data condensation, data display, and drawing and verifying conclusions. Results showed that the newly promoted school heads can be characterized as interpersonally skilled, competent, flexible, patient, open-minded, and committed. Furthermore, the main challenges faced by newly promoted school heads in school leadership include staff supervision, work-life balance, school management, and dealing with the legacy of the predecessors. The newly promoted school heads handled the leadership challenges they encountered through open-mindedness, support from others, self-reliance, and time management. Lastly, the preparation and training on school leadership that newly promoted school heads need is on professional development that includes school heads development program, financial management training, and instructional supervision training program.

1. Introduction

The choice to become a school head will always require reflection and discretion. The power, authority, advantages, and rewards are all appealing, but the obligations and responsibilities make one take a step back and think about it. The transition from classroom instruction to administrative leadership is getting more challenging as accountability measures demand more from school administrators ¹.

School leadership consists of three processes: (a) setting directions of activities by developing an organization’s vision; (b) aligning people with an organization’s vision through effective communication; and (c) motivating and inspiring staff by way of empowerment to act despite potential barriers. The processes making up leadership influence the creation of change in an organization ².

Newly promoted school heads are faced with challenges that they may not have foreseen during their teaching life. Furthermore, the issues that they encounter may be considerably different from those that their predecessors experienced several years or decades ago.

A newly promoted school head has difficulties and challenges as they practice their vocation. It is difficult for them to handle all the tasks at the start of the school year, such as dealing with stakeholders, establishing school policies, and others. One reason newly promoted school heads can overcome these challenges is that they understand their calling as school heads. They are sometimes forced to walk in the shadow of the outgoing school head, as well as cope with competing expectations from stakeholders. These challenges have a significant influence on school administrators. As a result of these stress-related difficulties, staff attrition has increased, and several school heads have lost their posts.

Although many researchers across the globe recognize school heads as agents of change and student accomplishment in schools, there is still a lack of study on the challenges that newly promoted school heads encounter in their role as school heads in Philippine public schools. There has been a minimal focus in the Philippines on the challenges that they experience within the public school setting. The Department of Education appears to overlook these issues, and many of them suffer in silence.

In light of the changes in the Philippine education system, school administrators are significant in achieving the government's aim of providing quality basic education. According to Republic Act 9155 (Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001), the school head is responsible for the administrative and instructional supervision of a school or group of schools. The Philippine school system grew to become one of the largest in the world, and it continues to educate a rising number of pupils ³. In 2012, the Philippine public educational system consisted of kindergarten, six years of elementary school, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school. Schools are divided into school divisions, which are made up of multiple school districts. This organizational model establishes a clear line of power and control for a system of over 44,000 public elementary and secondary schools ⁴.

According to Section 6.1, Rule VI of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9155, all public elementary and secondary schools in the Philippines must have a school head. Furthermore, school heads were promoted and designated by DepEd Order No. 85, s. 2003, in accordance with RA 9155, based on merit, competence, fitness, and equality. Yet, political, economic, and policy instability, as well as corruption, have historically and continued to be issues for Philippine public education and school leaders. Securing a job, promotion, or transfer, "who they knew and who recommended them did matter for most teachers". Because of connections, considerably less qualified teachers frequently experience professional promotion, leaving other qualified teachers impotent. However, many states in United States of America (USA) require aspiring school heads to have a master's degree before being appointed as school heads. Michigan City, for example, enacted a legislation in 2003 to establish a principalship leadership academy to offer training for school administrators. Before they may be appointed as principals or vice-principals in Canada, determined school leaders must complete the Principals' Qualification Programme (PQP) ⁵.

This information gap demonstrates the important need for more study to assess these challenges from the perspective of newly promoted school heads. As a result, this study addressed the challenges of newly promoted school heads in Kadingilan District, Kadingilan, Bukidnon, Philippines from the year 2020-2022.

Newly appointed school heads may have different challenges in the process of improving leadership in their schools. This study was conducted to address the challenges of newly promoted school heads in school leadership. Within this scope, this study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the characteristics of the newly promoted school heads?

2. What are the challenges that newly promoted school heads encountered in school leadership?

3. How did the newly promoted school heads handle the leadership challenges?

4. What kind of preparation and training on school leadership that newly promoted school heads need?

2. Literature Review

This section presents the related literature and studies considered relevant in the present investigation. Such pieces of information were taken from books, journals, articles, and published studies. These provided the researchers with support for this current study. These are arranged according to the following subsections: challenges of the newly promoted school heads, and preparation for school leadership challenge.

The school head serves as both the administrative head of the school and the link between the school and the school board. The school head is a standard-setter, fostering an aspiration and expectation among teachers and students to do good work ⁶. School heads are the ones who support and encourage teachers to improve their work and enhance their teaching performance. Leadership and management have always been their main responsibilities. School heads have various areas of responsibility including human resources, financial resources, educational activities of students and teachers, external relations, the well-being of students and teachers, and teaching students ⁷. A study revealed that the criteria in the current school teachers’ promotion policy are not adequate and so the process requires more comprehensive criteria. Such criteria shall not only take into account seniority in school teaching, and academic and professional qualifications but a well-structured and competitive promotion mechanism ⁸. In this approach, quality teachers may advance to higher teaching ranks, thereby improving the standard of instruction in public schools.

The goal of several previous research has been to identify unique difficulties encountered by first-time school administrators. Mushaandja ⁹ found that their experiences as newly promoted school heads increased levels of chronic stress, task overload, and isolation from their supervisor as they adjusted to a new school and leadership role at the same time. Bean et al. ¹ had shown that the challenges impacted the new school heads are unrealistic faculty expectations of a new administration, issues with "knowing what works," a lack of practical leadership experience, insufficient hands-on training, and the inability to apply preservice training (e.g., content and theoretical knowledge) to the realities of organizational management and leadership, lack of a mentor, an inadequate induction program, ambiguous expectations without proper support, and a sense of conflicting expectations from different and/or individual sources all contribute to the difficulties of the budget process, prioritizing responsibilities, and balancing personal and professional responsibilities.

Newly promoted school heads carry an exceedingly heavy burden because of inadequate education and preparation as school heads. Jaarsveld et al. ¹⁰ reported that there is a need for mentorship to enhance the efficiency of school principal leadership and to promote learner achievements. Moreover, Arrieta et al. ¹¹ asserted that new school heads considered paperwork, culture, processes and procedures, and expectations of superiors as primary challenges in school leadership. Many school principals fail to finish their master's degrees because they try to balance too many responsibilities at once. Since they lacked the necessary academic credentials, especially a master's degree, they are under pressure to quickly acquire one. They are unable to complete the degree program because of all the demands of being a school principal. Still, only a small percentage of students at a university for educators who offers a master's degree in school leadership and management go on to earn that degree. Another study revealed the challenges principals have in bridging the gaps between theory, policy, and practice, but there is little research of this nature. Since corruption and nepotism are so pervasive in Philippine society, ethical leadership is a central focus of leadership development programs there. Principals should be culturally sensitive in their preparation for the challenges they will face ¹².

Promotion to positions of leadership is always accompanied by challenges or difficulties including issues. A newly promoted school head will face difficulties throughout the transition. Any transition can be easy or difficult, depending on a variety of reasons. Stressed interpersonal relationships, inadequate plant upkeep, and a lack of teacher support and buy-in all led to challenging transitions. Staff cooperation, functional mechanisms already in place at the schools, and familiarity with the system all contributed to seamless transfers. The new principals reported a variety of difficulties in their new responsibilities, ranging from teacher tardiness to student misconduct. However, interpersonal relationships and plant upkeep appeared as the two most major problems. Another very important problem noted was a lack of teacher support for the individual administrators' visions ¹⁰. Transitioning from teaching in the classroom to leadership responsibilities at the school is typically not an easy process. Although many people, especially those who are not in the field of education, believe that teachers naturally move toward becoming academic leaders. Many difficulties arise during the transition for new academic leaders. Classroom teaching and school leadership are two different but complementary domains in education. A classroom teacher who is offered a leadership role may not immediately accept the appointment due to various reasons ¹¹.

School leadership is a challenging and demanding academic position that requires extensive training. Both new and seasoned school heads identified the problems and came up with solutions. Leadership training ought to be made available to assist new school heads in preparing for these issues and gaining the self-assurance necessary to take on more responsibilities. To accomplish the objectives, a leader must possess the necessary attributes and skills for leadership at the school level. Organization, supervision, planning, decision-making, management, financial management, and, most importantly, effective instructional leadership are required to be an effective school leader. Every school wishes it had better school leadership, especially as it faces new challenges in the future. Due to an aging and soon-to-retire leadership workforce, it is crucial for academic progress. With this issue, many institutions in a variety of countries offer voluntary leadership courses for aspiring school administrators. These types of initiatives will help shape first-year school leadership practices and establish communication channels for school administrators to air their concerns. In addition, it needs to teach you how to learn on your own and give you a good mix of theory and practice ¹³.

The education and preparation of school leaders in the 21st century should focus on expanding their expertise and knowledge base. Strategic thinking and innovation, instructional leadership, personal excellence, stakeholder engagement, and managerial leadership are all identified as crucial areas for future leadership development in the Southeast Asian context in the Competency Framework for Southeast Asian School Heads (2014) created by SEAMEO INNOTECH. Principals and middle-level academic supervisors who excel at their jobs help build a positive learning climate and foster a sense of school community cohesion. The principal's role as an instructional leader requires him or her to have keen observational and analytic skills, to identify and develop teachers' proficiency in 21st-century skills. Steps toward bettering what has been observed and analyzed must be clearly defined. Llagas et al. ¹⁴ argue that leaders should make the collaborative analysis of practice central to creating a learning environment where students and teachers alike feel supported in their pursuit of academic excellence. Arrieta and Ancho ¹¹ conducted a qualitative study in National Capital Region to assess the preparations and training of school heads in school leadership. It indicated that incoming and new school heads should be provided with leadership training, orientation, and mentoring so that they can perform their roles successfully. Findings from this study concluded that inexperienced school heads struggled to carry out their supervisory responsibilities because they lacked the proper training and preparation. New and incoming school heads need training on their roles and responsibilities, as well as an introduction to the institution's policies and procedures, to facilitate a smoother transition from classroom teacher to academic leader. These programs can be put into one program – a succession plan. It is also worth noting that knowledge and competence in preparing reports and documents are essential for academic heads.

Furthermore, Sepuru and Mohlakwana ⁵ revealed that on-the-job training, also known as in-service training, should be incorporated into teachers' professional development and training to prepare them for leadership roles. Unlike traditional forms of leadership development, this kind of training doesn't require teachers to take time away from the classroom. Instead, the Department of Education can build support systems for teachers through leadership and management programs. While in the classroom, teachers are also systematically progressing toward preparation for school administration. Those who hold potential as leaders and managers are mentored and given opportunities to grow in their roles. Prior to being promoted to principal, teachers were required to complete training in the administrative and leadership skills necessary for the position. They felt they were prepared for principalship because of the experience they gained as educators. They had no idea how different the role of a principal was from that of a teacher until they were already in it. When asked about their preparation and training for leadership and management, incoming principals stressed the importance of both before and after the appointment.

Newly promoted school heads are given their new responsibilities and are left to succeed or fail depending on their prior expertise. Generally speaking, it is assumed that they have completed graduate school or a university training program. A few guidelines, phony affirmations of success, and the odd helpful advice are given to them. But as more people become aware of the lack of excellent school leaders, this attitude is beginning to change. It cannot be expected that freshly promoted school leaders possess all the skills and knowledge required to properly manage the schools. Although the field is viewed as isolating and overwhelming, it can be overcome with a strong mentoring program. This was obvious when new school heads verified that mentorship had considerably improved their professional values as middle school principals. This resulted in the birth of a culture of knowledge sharing, which gave them more confidence and improved their practical knowledge of school leadership ¹⁵.

According to Mcclellan and Casey ¹⁶, "learning must occur while on the job—that experience becomes the great teacher" (p. 751). "Experience without personal awareness or feedback was insufficient," as it must be supplemented with honest feedback from mentors to steer the learner's growing identities. Furthermore, a lack of mentor assistance sometimes left new principals uncomfortable or dissatisfied as they tried to figure out assignments, timetables, and processes on their own ¹⁷.

A study by Henkenberns ¹⁷ addressed the gap by understanding how mentoring activities support the needs of unique school leaders. Three themes emerged and led to the findings: (1) principals reported feelings of self-doubt and anxiety about being the right leader for the school; (2) principals appreciated their mentor relationship but shared a desire for more focused levels of support; (3) without focused support from the organization, the mentoring experience can be random and lack specific development of the mentee. Establishing a leadership pipeline with targeted mentoring assistance, taking into account a personalized learning plan to meet each principal's desire for professional growth, and embracing reflective practice as a leadership development method are some of its practical implications. According to this study, newly promoted school heads will experience a variety of problems, but they may be met with the necessary preparation and training. The quality of school heads is crucial to the success of an educational institution. As a result, school heads’ competency and relationship abilities should be enhanced through the school's leadership training programs.

In addition, according to Arrieta and Ancho ¹¹, leadership and management training/workshop and proper orientation of the responsibilities are needed so that new school heads will not be at a loss. Getting a graduate degree is a great way to sharpen your leadership skills and prepare you for a leadership role. Those aspiring administrative roles in education who have completed graduate-level coursework in educational administration have shown greater preparedness to address problems of practice. Furthermore, current leaders who have served as assistant heads demonstrated a greater willingness to address problems of practice than those who have not ¹⁸. The current promotion system does not lead to the appointment of qualified school administrators. The study found that both those applying for academic deanships and those already in administrative roles benefited from formal leadership training ¹⁹.

3. Materials and Methods

In this study, a qualitative case study approach was employed. Case study research involves an in-depth analysis of a particular event, situation, organization, or social unit. A case typically has a defined space and time frame: "some form of a phenomenon in a bounded context." A case study is a comprehensive investigation of a contemporary phenomenon in the context of real-life experience. A case could be an individual, a role, a group, an organization, a community, or even an entire nation ²⁰.

The study was conducted in Kadingilan I and Kadingilan II Districts in the Division of Bukidnon, Municipality of Kadingilan. Nine (9) newly promoted school heads from Kadingilan I and II Districts from the year 2020-2022 were contacted to participate in the study. Of the nine (9) school heads, six (6) agreed to be interviewed and completed the consent form, while three (3) of them decided to withdraw from the study.

The data for this study was gathered through multiple sources, including surveys, semi-structured interviews with the participants who will share the challenges they encountered in school leadership, and observation. These methods of data gathering were utilized to create, authenticate, and confirm the obtained and observed data at the same time, which is critical in any qualitative study.

The gathering of data commenced upon approval of the Public Schools District Supervisor and District In-Charge on the conduct of this research. Upon approval, the researchers sent invitation letters to the participants. The letter contained information on the purpose of the study and the nature of their participation. Signing the letters meant that they accepted the invitation to become participants in this study.

An informed consent form was also given to the participants before the conduct of the interviews. The consent to participate meant that they accepted the invitation to participate in the interview; agreed to provide relevant information and to answer the questions honestly. It also included an agreement for the researcher to document the proceedings through an audio recorder, and the participant could withdraw their participation for valid reasons. The transcripts were checked by them to confirm their answers. They were also assured of the privacy and confidentiality of the information they provided. Interviews were conducted at the preferred time of the participants, and health protocols were observed. They were given ample time to answer the questions and were allowed to use any language they were comfortable with so that they could give their honest answers.

This study utilized the three concurrent flows of activity in analyzing the data as described by Miles et al. ²⁰. These include:

1. Data Condensation

The process of selecting, concentrating, simplifying, abstracting, and altering the data that appear in written-up field notes or transcriptions is known as data condensation. In this stage, the researchers gathered raw data from surveys, interviews, and observations. They coded the data, omitted irrelevant data, and included the needed data.

2. Data Display

A display is an organized, compressed assembly of information that permits conclusion drawing and action, which could be in the form of matrices, graphs, charts, and networks. In this study, the researchers used tables, figures, and narrative text to display the data, which is the most frequent form of display for qualitative data.

3. Drawing and Verifying Conclusions

From the start of data collection, the qualitative analyst interprets what things mean by noting patterns, explanations, causal flows, and propositions. Final conclusions may not appear until data collection is over. In this stage, the researchers drew temporary and final conclusions to make the data valid. The conclusion drawing started at the beginning of the research after the data was collected by making a temporary conclusion. Then, in the last step, the researchers drew the final conclusion. It can be said that the conclusion was analyzed and verified continuously to make it more valid.

This section presents the results of the data gathered from the conduct of the study with regard to the challenges of the newly promoted school heads in school leadership. The presentation of results was organized based on the arrangement of the problems identified in the study.

There are six (6) characteristics of newly promoted school heads that emerged from the responses of the participants as classified by the researchers, namely: interpersonally skilled, competent, flexible, patient, open-minded, and committed, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Based on the selected participant’s responses from the interview, four (4) of them asserted that they are interpersonally skilled. As narrated: “You have to consider the human resources. For me to be able to carry or to implement the programs, projects, and activities of the department." (SH1); "We cannot ask them (parents) for full support because their income is not even enough to their own family living." (SH2); "Motivate the stakeholders." (SH3); and "Encourage teachers to do their best.” (SH6). This implies that newly promoted school heads consider the importance of building good interpersonal relationships with the teachers and stakeholders by being considerate, motivating, and encouraging. This is supported by the findings from a mixed-method study conducted, which revealed the impact of the interpersonal skills of school heads on school climate ²¹. The teacher interviews clearly identified the importance of the school head’s interpersonal skills to student performance, teacher morale, and retention. Davis and Bottoms ²² also highlighted the importance of collaboration of teachers and school heads for school improvement and reported that “It is neither teachers alone nor school heads alone who improve schools, but teachers and school heads working together” (p. 2). The collaborative efforts of teachers and school heads are important to accomplish school goals.

Another characteristic of a newly promoted school head that emerged is being competent. Four (4) of them said that “The people around me, the parents, the teachers, the community is looking up to me as a leader who should always be one step ahead." (SH1); "My role is to serve as a good leader … manage the whole school para ang mga bata makatuon while they are in school." (SH3); "… ma meet nako ang mga vision, mission sa Department of Education. So, I will focus more on instructional leadership." (SH4); and "… think outside the box." (SH6). School heads are expected to have the competence, that is, having the ability, knowledge, attitudes, and skills to do his/her job effectively and efficiently. There is a need to induct skilled personnel who have the appropriate training and competencies as managers and leaders of the schools and criticize the practice of using teaching experience as a major yardstick for the appointment of school heads ²³.

Furthermore, two (2) school heads stated that they are flexible. Their statements are as follows: “As a school head, we were not given, or we're not oriented on how and what to do, on our duties and responsibilities as a school head yet amo ra siyang giadopt without any skills or knowledge." (SH5); and "School heads must balance the school governance and operations activities and the curriculum implementation activities." (SH6). Due to the numerous challenges and issues caused by the changing forces of the environment and an interconnected fast-moving world, school heads in the educational setting must learn cognitive flexibility, manage stress, and possess divergent thinking. They must be visionaries, risk takers, proactive, willing to communicate and listen, value team and student clientele, and focused, more importantly ²⁴.

Moreover, one of the participants emphasized the need to be patient and open-minded. As he stated, "…kinahanglan kag patience and be open-minded.” (SH5). School managers need to be able to demonstrate an array of skills in order to maximize their effectiveness and job satisfaction, and patience will significantly aid them in accomplishing these skills. Patience means that managers demonstrate tolerance, empathy, confidence, compassion, open-mindedness, and willingness to delegate and trust the skills of those they supervise. Llopis ²⁵ noted, "Leaders that are unable to practice patience will also find their careers short-lived. It is required by the market, and staff members view patience as an indication that their bosses are more sympathetic, flexible, and prepared to handle any situation". Furthermore, she adheres to the old axiom of “patience is a virtue” in the context of managers performing effectively. She stresses that managers must be extremely cognizant of the mindset of each staff member and how the “demands of today’s new workplace” affect staff’s attitudes, desires, and loyalty. Managers need to understand that meeting work goals is achieved through properly utilizing patience in order to maximize the effectiveness of the work of individual staff members and the team.

Lastly, another participant stressed that a newly promoted school head must be committed. She shared in the interview that a school head must be “… responsible in different areas like financial operations, monitor learners’ learning and behavior.” (SH6). Commitment is a high level of attachment to an organization and the process through which people become willing to give their loyalty and energy to a particular social system ²⁶.

Organizational commitment is one of the most important indicators of human behavior that is characterized by complexity, which includes all processes as well as intellectual, motor, emotional, and social activities, which individuals do to complement and adapt. The school is considered as one of the most important educational organizations that aim at educating human beings and helping them to develop and expand all aspects of their personality (mental, physical, psychological, spiritual, and social), according to their ability, readiness, tendencies, and trends, with this growth directed at the right social destination. For the school to function properly, physical and human resources are needed ²⁷. Organizational commitment is defined as an important part of the employee's psychological condition. Individuals with a high level of commitment usually exhibit positive behaviors in the workplace, such as job satisfaction and organizational citizenship, which is of great benefit to the organization ²⁸.

This study revealed that the participants had different experiences with regard to the challenges they’ve faced in their different schools as newly promoted school heads. Various factors affecting newly promoted school heads, particularly in their first year of supervisory work, should be considered. According to observations, the participants were enthusiastic about their new responsibilities but cautious in their actions. They exercise extreme caution when dealing with the teachers under their supervision. They were more cautious when dealing with the teachers, especially when responding to their comments. They stated that, in most cases, they do not respond to their questions immediately unless there is a clear directive from the administration. Despite their eagerness to accept the position, the participants faced challenges as newly promoted school heads, including staff supervision, work-life balance, school management, and dealing with the legacy of their predecessors.

Managing student behavior is not the same as supervising teachers. Teachers provide a challenge to newly promoted school heads because they have varied mindsets, attitudes, performances, and behaviors. They are looking for the best strategy for leading them, particularly the teachers. A participant said: “Okay, the most challenges that I faced as a newly promoted … as a school head so the relation of the teachers.” (SH2 Q2).

Similar to SH2, school heads mentioned dealing with difficult teachers as a difficult aspect of their new job. The most common problems pertaining to teachers that principals mentioned included neglecting their tasks, using outdated teaching techniques, and having differences in competency, as well as the absence of teachers and the inability to find them.

“The two most important challenges that I had faced in my schools are: first, teachers’ attitude and motivation. I am not saying that all of them are like this, but some of them want to offer their lesson even if they are not prepared to do so. The teacher walks in and gives a lesson without any preparation. This is one of the issues that the principal is dealing with. Teachers’ attitude is one of the challenges of every school head; we cannot force them to do what we want, and some teachers lack discipline.” (SH6 Q2).

Academic heads, as instructional leaders, should be able to direct and influence teachers to become better educators. They are expected to foster a school climate that recognizes teachers as potential leaders and nurtures them ²⁹. It is also their responsibility to develop and nurture relationships with their teachers and to resolve conflicts constructively. Furthermore, they are expected to develop the competencies of their subordinates and improve performance by planning effective development activities. However, it remains a challenge as new academic leaders figure out how to deal with different teachers who have different personalities and needs. They must read books and articles on managing and communicating with subordinates, as well as receive mentoring from experienced school leaders.

Work-life balance has been recognized as a challenge for newly promoted school heads, regardless of their school's environment or years in the position. All participants agreed that work-life balance is one of the challenges they’ve faced as a newly promoted school head. For instance, one participant clarified:

"Coping with a lot of work or the ancillary functions (daghan kaayo nga trabaho) is one of the challenges that I’ve faced. From paper works, school management, and instructional supervision. Coping with the work demands.” (SH1 Q2).

The perspective of another participant is very similar to that of the above participant. He said that: “Work demands, it is really one of the challenges that I’ve experienced since I handled 2 schools.” (SH6 Q2).

Newton and Wallin ³⁰ discovered that work-life balance was one of the top reported issues affecting school heads in their recent research, The Changing Nature of Principal Work. Similarly, Mushaandja ⁹ found that the experiences of newly promoted school heads include increased levels of chronic stress and task overload as they adjusted to a new school and leadership role at the same time.

The participants reported that they faced challenges with school management, specifically in terms of budget. For instance, one of the participants stated:

“Management of the school in implementing programs and projects, especially in terms of beautification and there is no allocated budget” (Management sa school like sa implementation na sa programs ug projects, especially sa beautification kay walay budget.) (SH3 Q2).

Another participant said:

“One of the problems is the financial matters, if we have an amount of ₱80,000.00, then maybe we can now have our school ID. It is really a challenge in our school now.” (Kay ang isa gyud na problem is the financial matters, if we have an amount of ₱80,000.00, then maybe we can now have our school ID. Mao gyud nay challenge ron.”) (SH5 Q2).

School management consists of qualitatively distinct processes: (a) planning and budgeting, which focuses on establishing short-term goals; (b) organizing and staffing, which entails creating organizational structures and allocating resources; and (c) controlling and problem-solving, which involves ensuring that results are in line with previous plans ².

The most challenging issues for the newly appointed school head in the areas of finance and school budget include a lack of finances to support projects like school beautification or updating instructional materials, or recruiting new people, as well as failure to allocate funds appropriately. A school leader should do a needs assessment to discover what the school most urgently needs. Following a needs assessment, school leadership should develop a strategic plan of action. Changes that a school may make include adjusting or aligning schedules so that teachers have more time to collaborate, putting teachers in various leadership roles, and analyzing data to find the greatest area of need ³¹.

People in the organization develop habits over time, which most of the time become the standard. When a new leader takes over, it is tough for them to change, even if the practices are harmful. As a new leader takes on the post, he or she will face similar challenges. One participant said:

“Because you cannot go away with being compared by previous administrators. But for me, whether it is positive or negative that I heard, I accept it because you cannot avoid being compared to others, unconsciously or not purposely. For me, as long as I am doing the right thing because change is inevitable. When we look into having change or if we want to change, there's always a reaction, but eventually, they will understand." (“Kay ngano, dili gyud na nimo malikayan being compared or kana bang maayo to si kuan inana. unconsciously or bisag dili purposely nga makastorya sila nga makakuan ko nga ing-ato diay. Ang ako lang is as long as I am doing the right thing, kay ngano change is kuan when, when we look into having change or if we want to change, there's always a reaction but eventually Kasabian ra man pud.") (SH1 Q2).

Another participant said: “For me, being compared is normal you just need to accept it and use it as a motivation to do good as a school head. In my case, I just do what is good for everyone and that really matters for me.” (SH6 Q2).

Bearn et al. ¹ had shown that one of the challenges that impacted new school heads is unrealistic faculty expectations of a new administration. Arrieta and Ancho ¹¹ also asserted that new school heads considered expectations of superiors as one of the primary challenges in school leadership.

To be able to influence change in a school, the newly promoted school head must first gain the trust and confidence of the teachers. Trust should be the primary basis for establishing the school as an educational community that promotes individual human growth through collaboration and inclusion. Trust is a key virtue in school leadership because it instills confidence and creates a strong foundation for safe growth ³².

Handling leadership challenges brings out the best in every newly appointed academic head as he/she has to find ways to deal with them. Four (4) themes emerged based on the interview responses of the participants. These include open-mindedness, support from others, self-reliance, and time management.

Leaders need to be open-minded. To generate creative thoughts, they must abandon their established thought processes. A leader achieves this by being open to all possibilities and admitting their limitations. Being open-minded enables leaders to consider issues from several angles or how they may be used in fresh and inventive ways. For instance, one of the participants shared:

“We should learn to adjust, the same with the teachers who are also adjusting (Inana ra man adjust ra pud ta kay parehas ra man nga nag-adjust pud sila nako).” (SH1). Another participant said: “I solved those challenges by understanding my teachers.” (SH6).

When we picture the perfect leader, we frequently see a self-assured, forceful person who isn't afraid to take charge and set the course for their team. Due to this impression, it is believed that managers should place a higher value on being open to new ideas, methods, or proposals from others. However, being open-minded can be advantageous for both workers and leaders. We are more likely to consider original, creative, or unusual solutions when we are receptive to ideas. We are typically also more receptive to criticism of our own work and suggestions for future improvement. Leaders who are open-minded tend to be more self-aware, trust their employees, and are interested in developing skills ³³.

It is the responsibility of the head of the school to lead and encourage change so that the institution can advance from where it is to where it needs to be in order to guarantee the best results for all of its students, strengthen the professional conduct of teachers and staff, and enhance the school's environment for all parties involved. Change is always challenging, even where it is necessary, and school heads play a crucial role in guiding schools through the process. To see the benefit of any change effort, the individuals carrying out the change must be both engaged and supported. They need wraparound support from community-based organizations, district and county offices, and other external support providers to meet their needs as well as those of students and staff.

Based on the interview responses of the participants, four (4) of them asserted that they were able to handle the leadership challenges that they encountered through the support of others.

A participant said:

“I solicit some ideas from my teachers in doing … in solving some problems, not only from the teachers but also the stakeholders, internal and external stakeholders.” (SH2)

Another participant agreed:

"If there are problems that need to be solved, we should reach a consensus through meetings (Meeting kung naa man galing problema nga angayan sulbaron then reach a consensus)." (SH3).

One of the participants also emphasized the importance of depending on God and her family in her statement:

“… through prayer I have managed or resolved challenges … through my strength which is my family.” (SH4)

Another source of support could be from the supervisors, as stated by one of the participants:

"There are times when problems were not solved at the school level, so that's the time that I will address it to our supervisor (There are times nga dili na siya pwede so ayha na nako siya e address sa among supervisor.)." (SH5).

To be successful, school heads also need intentional coaching and support from their districts, and that is where supervisors are increasingly seen as an important resource. A body of research has identified supervisors as a key resource for school heads to strengthen their instructional leadership skills. This is supported by a phenomenological study wherein the participants shared that they regularly consult their former academic head and immediate superior for advice, guidance, and assistance, most especially on area issues and concerns. They asserted that having supportive academic leaders and senior teachers is very helpful in carrying out their tasks as new academic heads ¹¹.

New school heads verified that mentorship had considerably improved their professional values as middle school principals which resulted in the birth of a culture of knowledge sharing giving them more confidence and improved practical knowledge of school leadership ¹⁵. According to ¹⁶, experience without personal awareness or feedback was insufficient as it must be supplemented with honest feedback from mentors. A lack of mentor assistance sometimes left new principals uncomfortable or dissatisfied as they tried to figure out assignments, timetables, and processes on their own ¹⁷. Jaarsveld et al. ¹⁰ reported that there is a need for mentorship to enhance the efficiency of school principal leadership and to promote learner achievements.

Accepting the responsibility and the leadership role associated is the first step on the journey to becoming a school head. It is essential for leaders to believe in their value and in what they have to offer, as this would motivate them to lead as if what they are doing is the most important thing in the world. All organizations need people like this – individuals who can articulate a shared idea of why they exist, who they are and where they are going. There remains a continual need for leaders who are self-reliant and independent at their core.

People with solid levels of self-reliance and self-belief are emotionally independent, which means they can formulate and clarify vision and values and leverage the talent of others to achieve their full potential. Today, providing direction is no longer a matter of command and control, and leaders who are still busy telling people what to do have already ceased to lead. Instead, leadership means accepting responsibility for providing a focus that allows and encourages people to concentrate on what really matters. Based on the excerpts from the interviews, one of the participants said:

“I am mature enough to not feel negative when it comes to managing or resolving challenges (… dili lang gyud nako e feel ang mga negative. Sa ato pa, matured na gyud ko.).” (SH4).

Another participant shared:

"When it comes to school problems, I do it myself; I try to conquer it (Sa kung sa school lang, I do it myself, kay ako jud siyang e conquer.).” (SH5).

School heads face many difficulties, such as adverse school climates, a lack of control over teacher training, political intervention in education, and many other pressures and challenges. Therefore, they must be aware of the management skills they have, adapt them to the nature of the school, and, if necessary, develop them through advanced training. As they are faced with a dynamic and constantly renewing environment, they are required to innovate, upgrade, and adapt themselves to the challenges they face in the 21st century. In this regard, self-reliance becomes evident. Waiting for something to happen is not an option; actual action is essential in the 21st century ³⁴. Furthermore, increased sensitivity to trust oneself may help one to trust in one’s own decisions ³⁵.

Time decides the importance of achieving the set targets and objectives ³⁶. Managing time builds one’s efficiency, limits burnout, advances progression, and improves individual and expert fulfillment ³⁷. School heads play a vital role in running schools ³⁸. They are crucial in developing teachers’ grit, leading to exhibiting outstanding teaching performance ³⁹. Since they have to work long hours each day, their time management strategies would help them have effective administration ⁴⁰. One of the participants who is currently managing two (2) schools said in the interview:

“I solved those challenges by understanding my teachers, providing them instructional supervision, and by managing my time.” (SH6).

School heads facilitate various strategies to ensure everything is working well in their institution by using strategies such as: delegating authority, setting clear priorities, managing distractions, making written plans, and setting timetables. Their time management strategies helped them toward effective administration through easy and smooth administration workflow and effective and efficient achievement of targets ⁴¹.

The participants determined the kind of preparation and training on school leadership that newly promoted school heads need.

The professional development needs of newly appointed school heads were identified as an essential area for policy development. One of the professional developments that they need is the school heads' development training program. School Heads Development Program aims to develop leadership and effective management in the three main roles of school leaders. The School Heads Development Program will be led by the National Academy of Education of the Philippines (NEAP) and the Human Resource Development Division (HRDD) of the Regional Office (ROS). A participant said:

“So, as a newly promoted school head … so what's the most important is to capacitate me as a newly promoted school head, the role, how to solve some problems … so that's all I can say about.” (SH1 Q4).

The perspective of another participant is very similar to that of the above participant. He/She said that:

"Before the appointment, they should inform the newly promoted school heads about their roles and responsibilities so that it will be cleared to us because, usually, we just received the appointment, and it's up to us on what we will do." (Kanang … before sa appointment kung unsa among role and responsibilities gyud para klaro ba kay usually ig dawat namo sa appointment namo diretso na baya. Ikaw nalang bahala ug discover. Then … after the appointment Kuan leadership training and sa school management day.) (SH3 Q4).

Another professional development needed by the newly promoted school head is Financial Management. Inadequate accounting, budgeting, and auditing skills in many high schools are linked to financial management issues, as most schools operate without professional accountants/management or even an auditor ^{42, 43, 44}.

The lack of professional accountants or competent administrators makes it difficult for schools to prepare and compile records, provide accurate accounting reports, identify operational flaws, or even collect tuition fees. from parents and influence the financial management of the institution ⁴⁵. For instance, one of the participants stated:

“Financial management is one of my struggles since I don’t have any experience with BAC (Bids and Awards Committee). Everything was foreign to me, and school heads need to know about that matter, financial management” (Kuan financial management kay isa gyud na nga nagstruggle jud ko kay wala koy experience about BAC kay never ko nahimong member sa BAC. Everything was foreign oh unya kung school head man gud dapat makabalo sa mga ing-ana so financial management.) (SH1 Q4).

The chief instructional supervisors are the school heads. Their duties are mostly carried out within schools with the goal of enhancing classroom learning. A successful administrator supports, rewards, and evaluates teachers in order to improve student learning. The primary goal of instructional supervision is to improve teaching practices for the benefit of students. The main goal of supervision is to assist and support instructors ⁴⁶. The participant said:

"…then instructional supervision, but for me I didn't struggle because I was an instructional supervisor for 14 years” (then instructional supervision pero sa aka wala kayo ko nag struggle kay naka IS naked for 14 years) (SH1 Q4).

The effectiveness of school heads’ instructional supervisory role largely determines the academic performance of students. In well-functioning schools, school leaders use different strategies and reinforce those that work well when teaching teachers in the classroom. School leaders are slowly discovering that the three instructional monitoring methods of direct, collaborative, and non-directive approaches work well for teachers. Instructional supervisors require prerequisite skills in order to properly carry out the above position. Among these skills is conceptual skill, which requires school heads to have knowledge about teaching, teachers, and schools. They must understand where the teachers should be and where the students and school should be ⁴⁶.

Arrieta and Ancho ¹¹ indicated that incoming and new school heads should be provided with leadership training, orientation, and mentoring so that they can perform their roles successfully.

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

The identified characteristics of newly promoted school heads were interpersonally skilled, competent, flexible, patient, open-minded, and committed. These characteristics have made significant contributions to their assigned schools, teachers, pupils/students, stakeholders, and the community. The main challenges faced by the newly promoted school heads in school leadership involve staff supervision, work-life balance, school management, and dealing with the legacy of the predecessors. These challenges encountered by newly promoted school heads helped them discover and improve their strengths and weaknesses. The newly promoted school heads handled the leadership challenges they encountered through open-mindedness, support from others, self-reliance, and time management. They made a significant contribution to their assigned schools by building strong relationships with their subordinates, achieving educational goals, having confidence in themselves, and using time management skills for the advancement and enhancement of their roles in school leadership. The preparation and training should educate teachers who want to become school heads in the future. The teacher’s day-to-day job is to teach the curriculum in the classroom. Their activities must be incorporated into the school's leadership and management. The preparation and training on school leadership that newly promoted school heads need is the professional development that includes school heads development program, financial management training, and instructional supervision training program. These needs will greatly benefit the entrusted schools of the newly promoted school heads; thus, they should take action accordingly.

The following are the recommendations made by the researchers as a result of the findings and conclusions of the study.

The aspiring school heads are encouraged to develop characteristics like being interpersonally skilled, competent, flexible, patient, open-minded, and committed. The policymakers may establish certain policies to aid the newly promoted school heads. More significantly, they may set up mentorship programs for newly promoted school heads. The Department of Education may reconsider, reexamine, and restructure the current leadership training programs in the field of school leadership. They may thoroughly assess and monitor the performance of qualified teachers for the position in order to deliver high-quality education and services. Newly promoted school heads are encouraged to attend seminars, training, and orientations before the start of their duty as a school head in order to prepare themselves for their new roles. They need to undergo school leadership training for them to be aware of the important actions to take and how they are going to handle challenges related to school leadership. They are also encouraged to cope with the demands of the 21st century, innovative leadership development programs that will help them prepare to apply creative approaches that address the broader roles and responsibilities of school leaders. They need to participate in Continuing Professional Development programs that will enable them to make autonomous decisions, promoting teamwork among teachers, and engaging teachers in professional development. Aspiring school heads are advised to continue their professional development in preparation for becoming a future school head.

The findings of the current study, which describes newly promoted school heads’ challenges in providing leadership to public schools in Kadingilan District, Kadingilan Bukidnon, may provide new knowledge that informs future research directions. Further research could include all public school districts in Northern Mindanao and identify common roles and demands of the school heads position, the challenges they face, and important skills for succeeding as a leader that are common to Kadingilan District school heads in different cities or areas

Acknowledgments

The researchers would like to extend their gratitude to the College of Education of Central Mindanao University, headed by Dr. Gladys S. Escarlos, the College Dean, and Dr. Virgencita B. Caro, the Department Chairperson, for the opportunity and unwavering support.

Appendices

Appendix B. Interview Questions for Newly Promoted School Heads

Question 1: Prior to Appointment

1. Can you please take a moment and talk about yourself and your experiences prior to being appointed as a school head. How long have you been in education? What positions have you filled in education? How did it help you prepare for the role as school head?

2. Were you involved in a leadership development/mentoring/coaching program in your board? Can you describe what that entailed?

3. Describe how you found the transition from teacher to school head.

4. When the appointment as a school head was offered to you, did you immediately accept it? Why?

Question 2: Challenges

5. Since your appointment, what were the two most important challenges you have faced in your school?

The next four points are common challenges identified in research. Participants will be probed on their experiences as it relates to research findings.

5.1. A work-life balance is often cited as a challenge for new school heads – can you comment on your own situation?

5.2. Another common concern is the challenge of staff supervision, especially struggling teachers—has this been an issue for you and if so, what steps have you taken to address this challenge?

5.3. A common challenge many new administrators face is dealing with the legacy of their predecessor—can you speak to that issue?

5.4. Research has indicated many new administrators feel very much alone or isolated, has this been your experience and what are you doing to overcome it?

Question 3: Responses

6. What actions have you taken to manage or resolve challenges in school leadership?

Question 4: Support

7. What advice did you receive from your predecessor?

8. How did your supervisor/superintendent support you in those early few months/years?

9. What are the trainings or guidance you received to increase your knowledge and effectiveness in leading a public school?

Question 5: Preparation and Training

10. Based on your experience, what preparations and trainings should be given to the school heads before and after their appointment?

References