School Heads’ Financial Management Skills and their Influence on Teachers’ Performance

Abstract

 Republic Act 9155 and DepEd Order 55 s. 2008 empower school leaders with authority, responsibility, and accountability, but financial management poses some difficulties that can influence teacher performance and school performance in general. In this context, this descriptive-correlational study analyzed the influence of school heads’ financial management skills on teachers' performance as a basis for a developmental plan. Needed data were gathered using a researcher-made instrument that has hurdled the validity and reliability tests and processed using the mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The results showed that planning and budgeting scored at the bottom compared to decision-making and reporting constructs. Additionally, the level of teachers' performance for 2019-2020 was found to be very satisfactory. The data showed no significant difference between school heads' financial management skills when analyzed according to respondents' demographic profiles. In contrast, a significant difference surfaced between the level of teachers' performance when grouped by age and civil status. Subsequent analysis showed school heads' financial management skills do not influence teachers' performance and has provided evidence that teachers can remain better despite limitations in finances and resources in school. These findings call for a holistic financial management program for school heads, total transparency in the budgetary allocation process, and the involvement of stakeholders like teachers, parents, alumni, and student organizations.