Functionality of the School Governance Council of Public Secondary Schools

AUTHOR(S)

ARIEL MARTINEZ BAMBALAN MARA G. PELAEZ, PhD

ABSTRACT

——This study assessed the functionality of School Governance Councils (SGCs) in public secondary schools in the Schools Division of Pangasinan II, focusing on shared governance under DepEd Order No. 26, s. 2022. Anchored on Participatory Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, Collaborative Theory, and Decentralization, it examined SGC performance and the influence of school profile variables. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were gathered from 57 SGC co-chairpersons through proportionate stratified random sampling. The Revised SGC Functionality Assessment Tool measured shared governance and feedback mechanisms. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, Chi-Square Test of Independence, and Cramér’s V. Results showed that SGCs were highly functional, with 93.21% effectiveness in shared governance and 90.48% in feedback mechanisms. However, gaps were noted in inter-committee coordination, digital communication, and proactive planning. No significant differences were found across school profile variables, indicating consistent implementation. Nonetheless, significant relationships emerged in local government unit engagement and committee coordination, highlighting their influence on SGC effectiveness. The study concludes that SGCs should shift from compliance to strategic leadership. A capacity-building and sustainability program was proposed to enhance leadership, digital communication, and collaborative planning. Keywords: School Governance Council, shared governance, stakeholder engagement, decentralization, leadership