A Competency-Based Administrative Model for Improving School Governance in Public Schools of Kidapawan City District II

Abstract

This study examined the administrative competencies of school administrators and their relationship with governance effectiveness in public schools of District II, Kidapawan City Division. A mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating quantitative data and qualitative interviews to provide a clearer explanation of the findings. Results showed that school administrators demonstrated a high level of administrative competencies, particularly in leadership and planning, indicating strong capability in managing school operations and providing direction. Governance effectiveness was rated satisfactory, suggesting that schools are generally functioning well but still have areas for improvement, especially in instructional quality and organizational performance. Findings further revealed a significant positive relationship between administrative competencies and governance effectiveness (r = 0.72, p = 0.001), indicating that stronger administrative competencies are associated with better governance outcomes in schools. Qualitative results supported these findings and identified challenges such as limited leadership training opportunities, budget constraints, workload pressure, and communication gaps among stakeholders. These challenges affect the full implementation of governance practices despite the high level of competencies among administrators. Practically, the findings suggest that school divisions and policymakers should prioritize structured leadership development programs, streamline administrative workloads, and allocate adequate resources to strengthen governance systems. School administrators may use the proposed competency-based model as a framework for self-assessment and targeted capacity building, ultimately contributing to improved instructional quality, teacher support, and organizational performance in public schools.