| Summary, etc. |
school administrators, 1075 teachers, and 313 PTA presidents of the 313 complete elementary schools in the Division of Ilocos Sur. The data needed in the study were gathered through the use of a questionnaire on Child-Friendly School System which was constructed by the researcher based on the Self-Assessment Guide issued by the UNICEF and the Department of Education in 2003. This was content validated by experts. Information from the Educational Targets was likewise gathered from records of the Planning Officer and the Health Officer of the Division of Ilocos Sur. Data on performance indicators, nutritional status and dental health records for the school year 2004 to 2006 before the launching of CFSS were utilized to compare data for the school year 2007-2009 after the launching of the CFSS. The problems encountered on the implementation of the CFSS were gathered through interviews and a checklist administered to school heads. Frequencies, mean, percentages, bivariate correlation, and t-test were used to analyze and interpret the data gathered for this study. Findings showed that the administrators were mostly female, within the age bracket of 36-40, married, held Head Teacher III position, have been in the service for 16-20 years. Both respondents earned masteral units, attended division and district trainings, and were affiliated with district level professional organizations. They should finish their graduate studies to achieve higher level of educational attainment. The administrators were mostly female, within the age bracket of 36-40, married, held Head Teacher III position, have been in the service for 16-20 years. They had masteral units, attended division level trainings, and were affiliated with district level professional organizations. Meanwhile, the teacher-respondents were mostly female, aged 31-35, married, held Teacher III position and were new in the teaching profession. They also earned masteral units, attended district level trainings, and were affiliated with district level professional organizations. The PTA Presidents were fairly involved in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases of the Child Friendly School System. In addition, the class size fell on the ideal ratio, which is 1:25.On the other hand, the Division of Ilocos Sur had "low" physical facilities for lack of funds to finance the maintenance and development, like, School Building Repair and Maintenance (SBRM). Drill and flash cards were the most frequently used instructional materials. The Child Friendly School System (CFSS) in the elementary schools in the Division of Ilocos Sur was "well implemented." All the components of CFSS were "much implemented." The schools in the two congressional districts of the Division of Ilocos did not vary in the way they implemented the Child Friendly School System (CFSS). This could be attributed to the same level of seminars attended by all districts and personnel who monitored CFSS. Moreover, the overall implementation of the CFSS was dependent on the position, length of service and number of trainings attended by the school administrators but not on the personal and professional attributes of the teachers. In addition, the overall implementation of the CFSS was dependent on the participation of the PTA Presidents, and the adequacy of physical facilities of the school and instructional materials. Furthermore, the implementation of the CFSS contributed to an increase in the mean survival rate, mean achievement rate, and mean nourishment rate of the schools. The Participation Rate, Survival Rate, Achievement Rate, Nourishment Rate, and Health Rate of the schools were dependent on the overall implementation of the CFSS. The most pressing problems in the implementation of the Child Friendly School System was the absence of opinion box for pupils to express their opinions about the school and community. The following were the recommendations in the study The administrators and teachers should finish their graduate studies to achieve higher level of educational attainment. Likewise, there should be a massive training on the child-friendly programs for teachers, and new school heads. The PTA presidents should also be encouraged to be fully involved in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation Certificate of recognition should be awarded by the division office to outstanding PTA presidents as "Outstanding Implementers of CFSS." School-Based Repair and Maintenance and MOOE should be released to all public elementary schools for them to improve their school buildings, clinics, playground facilities and equipment, learning resources, Library, Home Economics, Industrial Arts and garden facilities. Schools must abide by the basic minimum standards in DECS 2000 because more child-friendly schools needs to be conceived as an improvement on the basics of existing good schools. Likewise, there should be creation of new regular teacher items for Special Education (SPED), Industrial Arts, Home Economics, and ALS. In order to ensure the optimum level of CFSS, there should be closer supervision on all school activities by the school heads, division program supervisors and superintendents to improve the "high" CFSS implementation level to "optimum" level. Likewise, proper dissemination of the results of the study the respondents- school administrators, teachers and PTA presidents in order to concert effort to fully develop and implement CFSS and to make the goals of "Education for All' possible to achieve. All "outstanding" implementers of CPSS should be given due recognition for a healthy competition among the schools. Reclassification of items should be continued since it was found out that position is an extrinsic motivation of school administrators and teachers for higher level of CFSS implementation. Likewise seminars on CFSS are highly recommended since it deepens the administrators' and teachers' morale and commitment. Full children's participation should be encouraged by conducting a census in the barangay of children ages 6-12 years old who are not in school, coordinating to parents and barangay officials with such problems and employ the adopt-a-school program to help indigent children as support for their education. Close follow-up on the following educational targets especially on participation rate and dental-health rate should be conducted for a relatively successful implementation of the CFSS. Respective schools should cooperate closely with their district authorities to ensure that their children are effectively covered by health services. The CFS should continue to employ Health and Nutrition Program, such as School Feeding Program, deworming Program, provision of Vitamin A, and annual dental and physical check up in order to strengthen pupil's health. Opinion box for pupils to express their ideas and opinions is highly recommended. Other ways to express pupils' opinions like having the newsletter of the school is highly encouraged. A probable sequel study on Rights-Based and Gender-Sensitive Schools of the Division of Ilocos Sur, Status of the Gender-Sensitivity of Division of Ilocos Sur, and Implementation of Special Education in the Division of Ilocos Sur should be conducted. |
