Leadership Strategies of School Principals in Enhancing Numeracy Skills Amid the Transition From K-12 To Matatag Curriculum

Abstract

This study explored the leadership strategies implemented by school principals to enhance numeracy skills during the transition from the K–12 Curriculum to the MATATAG Curriculum. Employing a qualitative narrative inquiry design, the research focused on 15 purposively selected school principals from public secondary schools in the Schools Division of Masbate Province. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework.

Findings revealed that principals implemented four core strategies: structured remedial interventions, curriculum-embedded strategies, technology-based approaches, and home-based and community outreach initiatives. These strategies were developed in response to learners’ diverse needs and institutional challenges brought about by the curriculum shift. The study also identified three major categories of challenges: teacher capacity and role alignment, operational and logistical constraints, and resource and infrastructure limitations. Despite these, principals demonstrated adaptive leadership through collaboration, resource maximization, and stakeholder engagement.

Stakeholder involvement was found to be essential, with teachers, parents, and community members actively supporting numeracy initiatives. Principals perceived their strategies as effective and sustainable when embedded within institutional plans and supported by continuous evaluation and community collaboration. Best practices emerged from the integrated implementation of the four identified strategies, reflecting inclusive, learner-centered, and context-responsive leadership approaches.

Grounded in the study's findings, a Leadership Strategy and Numeracy Framework was proposed to guide future practices and policy development in numeracy education. This framework underscores the pivotal role of school principals in aligning leadership practices with the goals of the MATATAG Curriculum and sustaining numeracy improvement efforts across school communities.