Curriculum Implementation Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Perspective of Elementary School Heads

Teachers and School Heads play a vital role in implementing curriculum at schools. The success or failure of any curriculum implementation hinges on its impact on students and the knowledge and skills of those implementing it. Therefore, as implementers, we need to be well-versed in adapting the curriculum to various situations to ensure optimal outcomes. The present study is about the perspective of elementary school heads on curriculum implementation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to identify the challenges faced by elementary school heads in curriculum implementation during a pandemic, to equip the school heads with the correct knowledge, strategies, and attitude to manage similar circumstances in the future while enhancing the curriculum to align with evolving global realities.
The descriptive research involved the 64 School Heads of the Sorsogon City Division. The survey questionnaire was used as the method of conducting it coupled with interviews with some of the respondents who are truly knowledgeable as far as curriculum is concerned. These data were statistically treated using frequency count, percentage, and ranking.
Results showed that the majority of School Heads of Sorsogon City Division were at the peak of their careers. By enrolling in post-graduate programs, they are also raising their level of education, but the majority of them have less experience directly related to their line of work. The majority of the participants have difficulty managing their time and money, working with covid-19 pandemic’s restrictions, getting used to the enriched curriculum, and implementing the skills and competencies they have received. Most of them state that there are obstacles they must overcome, such as strict application of health rules that make it difficult for the community to be involved in a learning environment. Training programs on staff motivation and school appraisal system among school heads, and training on curriculum supervision in times of disaster with remote ways of learning delivery are not regularly conducted.
The implications of these findings are highlighted relative to assisting the Department of Education and Deped Sorsogon City in providing tailored training and technical assistance for school heads on enriching, supervising, and assessing curriculum to ensure that curriculum is well implemented in the school in all circumstances. This assistance is vital for ensuring that school heads can adapt to various challenges they may encounter as manager of the school. Additionally, they can guide decisions on enriching curriculum areas to align with societal needs. Moreover, these findings serve as the foundation for developing strategies, programs, and projects to enrich, deliver, and assess the curriculum during crises such as calamities and pandemics.