DECENTRALIZATION AND PARTICIPATORY DECISION-MAKING IN IMPLEMENTING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOWARDS QUALITY MANAGEMEN

This study assessed the practice of decentralization and participatory decision-making in implementing the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP) among public elementary school heads in selected school divisions of Region IV-A CALABARZON. The mixed method research design was applied to adequately address the research objectives utilizing a validated self-made questionnaire and interview protocol. The target respondents were the 15 school heads and 282 public elementary school teachers with a total of 297 from the three central public elementary schools in the different divisions of CALABARZON. Frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and t-test were employed as statistical tools in the quantitative data analysis while narrative inquiry was used in the analysis of the interviews. Resuls showed that the respondents perceived that the quality of implementation of Continuous Improvement Program (CIP) was generally practiced to a very great extent. They were able to appropriately implement the program through the practice of decentralization and participatory decision-making relative to task and timeline, budget and resources, stakeholder analysis, and evaluation of implementation risks. However, factors hindering effective implementation of the program were budget constraint and lack of resources. It is recommended that schools heads should be the cadre of implementers to continually undertake successful program implementation through the utilization of the proposed implementation guide for the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP).