CHILD-FRIENDLY SCHOOL SYSTEM ON THE SCHOOL

PERFORMANCE: CFSS PROGRAM MODEL

RIZALDY D. PEPITO, EdD

University of the Visayas, Cebu City/ DepEd-Bayawan City Division
Negros Oriental State University-Bayawan Sta. Catalina Campus

Abstract: In 2008, Bayawan City Division started the implementation of the Child-
Friendly School System and aspires to encourage the participation of children in school
and community, enhances their health and well-being, assures safe and protective spaces
for children, promotes enrolment and completion, ensures children's high academic
achievement and success, raises teacher's morale and motivation and mobilizes
community support for education.The researcher was therefore interested in conducting a
study to assess the operation of a child-friendly school inthe secondary schools of
Bayawan City Division. This research utilized the descriptive-correlational design. It
identifies and describes behaviors of the participants. Correlation research intends in
determining the variables’ relationships and allows forecasting future events based from
the present knowledge. The execution of the System for the Child-Friendly School of
Bayawan City Division is successful in all twenty-six secondary schools. The school
performance on the operation of the child-friendly school structure in terms of cohorts
participation rate, cohorts survival rate, and the cohorts completion rate is outstanding
while cohorts retention rate and cohorts repetition rate is very low. The level of
implementation of the child-friendly school system in Bayawan City Division is well-
implemented.The stakeholders have realized the importance of school facilities, interest,
and attendance of students, complete family and the wise use of modern gadgets in the
implementation of the child-friendly school system. Therefore it is recommended
that;Bayawan City Division may conduct an annual dental check-up for all students and
cater to dental needs,there must be a one to one ratio of textbook per student to increase
the capacity of learning among students, there should have a list of students enrolled and
not enrolled in the current year, as to make some interventions and programs for those
who are not enrolled in formal education and design a child friendly school system model
focusing on the least implemented areas.

Keywords: child-friendly, children, community, school, performance, education, success

Introduction

Public schools are known as places for serious learning with highly structured activities.
They are perceived as places where children enjoy learning activities and have the
independence to express what they desire to learn. A place where the schoolchildren,
educators, parents, and the community dynamically work hand in hand to ensure that the
children recognize their basic rights. Many look at public school as a place for serious
learning but rarely as a place for one to enjoy learning activities and have a say in what one
need and want to learn.
 Many of us believe that learning should follow a procedure as what we experienced
during our time. We never accept suggestions on ways and activities by which one could
learn more effectively. Rights and enjoyment perhaps often left out by us.
These rights according to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund or
UNICEF (1999) encompass the right to be educated, to be healthy, to be given a chance for
play and leisure, to be protected from harm and abuse, to raise their views freely, and to
participate in decision -making according to their evolving capacities. These rights for
children should not only be experienced by few, but all children around the world.
Department of Education national memorandum 73 series of 2006 was issued to launch
the child-friendly school system in both elementary and secondary level. The program aims
to recognize that the partnership of the school, family, and community is necessary for
realizing the goal of the Child-Friendly School System. The system identifies and respects
the rights and responsibilities of the children. It also ensures a welcoming environment in
school, in the household, as well as in the community. The Child-Friendly School System
promotes new approaches for basic education and new appreciation for the school to become
truthfully child-friendly. The students, educators, parents, and the community should work
together in supporting the children's education and progress. Moreover, putting forward the
concept that the school has to take responsibility in educating a child who is not enrolled.
In 2008, Bayawan City Division started the implementation of the Child-Friendly School
System. It aspires to encourage the children to join activities in school as well in the
community. It also enhances children’s health and well-being, guarantees safe and protective
spaces for children, encourages enrolment and completion, ensures children’s high academic
achievement and success, raises teacher’s morale and motivation and mobilizes community
support for education.
However, pouring of heavy rains in June until October pose a constraint in the delivery
of educational services especially among the schools situated in the Northwest and Northeast
areas where attendance of both pupils and teachers are the lowest every Mondays and
Fridays. Bayawan City Division is an agricultural area where 80 percent of the parents are
practically earning their livelihood from farm-related activities which in turn have drawn
children to assist in the farm-tasks. The end goal is helping the family who struggled to
make both ends meet. Moreover, this has been the major cause in the low academic
performance of around 30 percent of the pupils in schools whose residence is situated near
sugarcane fields. These pupils mostly engaged in farm labor. Around twenty-one thousand
pupils are enrolled in the elementary schools where barely 25 percent aspired and continue
to studyin the secondary schools, and about ten percent struggled to pursue college studies.
The researcher was therefore interested in conducting a study to assess the childfriendly
school system implementation in the secondary schools of Bayawan City Division. It will
track the division’s progress and guide them through what should they need to have or need
to accomplish the goals of the child-friendly school. It will also help create a child-friendly
school program model.
Statement of the Problem
 The purpose of this study is to assess the level of implementation of a childfriendly
school system in the secondary schools of Bayawan City Division for School Year 2016-
2017 as the basis for proposed CFSS Program Model. Specifically, the study sought to
answer the following:

1. What is the school performance in terms of:

1.1. Participation rate;
1.2. cohort’s survival rate;
1.3. retention rate;
1.4. repetition rate; and
1.5. completion rate?
2. What is the level of implementation of CFSS in Bayawan City Division in terms of:
2.1. students' participation in school and community;
2.2. students' health and well-l being;
2.3. safe and protective spaces for students;
2.4. enrolment and completion;
2.5. academic achievement and success;
2.6. teachers' morale and motivation; and
2.7. community support?
3. Is there a significant relationship between the level of implementation of a ChildFriendly
School System and the school performance in Bayawan City Division?
4. Based on the findings of the study, what CFSS Program Model can be designed?

Research Design
This research utilized descriptive-correlational design. It identifies behaviors and
describes the behavior of the participants. Correlation research was designed to discover
relationships among variables and to allow the prediction of future events from present
knowledge. It is used to either explore "the extents to which two or more variables covary,
where changes in one variable are reflected in the changes of the other." That is when the
purpose of the study is to predict specific outcomes in one variable from another variable
that serves as a predictor. The tool used was the standardized questionnaire from the CFSS.
With the use of the Pearson correlation coefficient, the computation was done to identify the
significant relationship between school performance and the level of implementation.

Research Environment
This study was conducted in all secondary school of Bayawan City Division, Negros
Oriental, Negros Island Region. The City is located in the Southernmost side of Negros
Oriental Province. On December 23, 2000, it became a city, under Republic Act 8983 which
was sponsored by the 3rd District Congressman Herminio G. Teves. The city 26 charter
states the creation of an Interim Division which was formally opened by Sec. Edilberto de
 Jesus in attendance on the 25th of January, Bayawan City. Much to the earnest desire to
provide quality education, the city division started its seemingly turtle-paced efforts right
after the inauguration with education supervisors designate of whom two were district
supervisors: one LGU paid principal, five elementary school principals, and one head
teacher. The administrative section was handled by a teacher acting as Administrative
Officer who is assisted by utility workers and two contractual workers paid by the LGU. It
had a three- hundred eighty-three (383) elementary and fifty-six secondary teachers situated
in fifty (50) elementary schools and eleven (11) secondary schools unevenly distributed in
the twenty-eight (28) barangays made up the whole city division, the average mean
percentage score of 37.29 for the elementary and 38.30 for the secondary. From SY2002-
2003 to 2003-2004, the educational landscape has dramatically changed propelled by the
vision of developmentoriented mayor in consultation of various stakeholders and the
coordination with the Department of Education. Bayawan city is located 101 kilometers
away from Dumaguete city. It was once one of the school districts of the Division of Negros
Oriental. It was second to the last school district with 49 elementary schools of which 7 or
12 percent are located along the national highway and 51 or 85 percent in the rural area with
a range of 5 to 57 kilometers distance from the division office. The uneven, slippery terrain
coupled with bad roads affected the delivery of educational services in the mountainous
areas. Impassable roads are caused by the ten-wheeler trucks which crisscrossed the area,
especially during the milling season. 27 Two higher education institutions are found in
Bayawan City, namely, The Southern Tech College and the Negros Oriental State University
Bayawan-Sta. Catalina Campus where mostly ten percent of the secondary graduates
enrolled in these schools. For those who wish to pursue their college education outside
Bayawan City, they usually study in Dumaguete City, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, and Manila.
The local government unit headed by City Mayor German P. Sarana, Jr. and the 3rd
Congressional District of Negros Oriental donated the first school building which has
sheltered a lot of school children. During the Third Elementary Project (TEEP), Bayawan
City was one of the local government units in the province of Oriental Negros with the
highest equity for which countless schools were constructed and renovated. In the
implementation of the Secondary Education Development Improvement Project (SEDIP),
Bayawan City was also the recipient of the highest equity. They are Prioritizing the
construction of science building and the needed classrooms to accommodate the growing
secondary school population. Because of this, the division puts a premium on the need to
monitor attendance and to maximize contract hours. Furthermore, the education supervisors
are motivated to focus on their subject areas and meet the 75 percent mean percentage score
target. In relation to this concern was the desire to strengthen stakeholders support and
linkage by both school administrators and teaching personnel.

Research Participants
The participants of this study were the 26 secondary schools in the Division of Bayawan
City. There were 403 secondary faculty members with plantilla and 11, 617 secondary student
students. The researcher used 10 participants from each secondary 28 school for a total of 260. It
includes the principal or the teacher in charge, four from the faculty and staff who are serving
the school since the implementation of the ChildFriendly School Program in the division and 5
from the students who are officially enrolled in Grade 9 and 10 who are involved in school-
related organizations.

Research Instruments
The data gathering instrument that was used in the study is designed to gather
information for Part I- The School Performance, the facts will be taken from the school
performance indicator, the percentage of school performance in participation rate, cohort’s
survival rate, retention rate, repetition rate and completion rate of the different secondary schools
of Bayawan City Division. The rate with its adjectival description is as follows: 90- 100
Outstanding 85- 89 Very Satisfactory 80- 84 Satisfactory 75-79 Fair 74 and below Needs
Improvement Part II, the level of implementation, the data gathering instrument that was used
was adapted from the CFSS evaluation program. The areas that were included in the instrument
are students' participation in school and community, students' health and wellbeing, safe and
protective spaces for students, enrolment, and completion, academic achievement and success,
teachers' morale and motivation, community support for education. The level of performance the
weighted mean was used. The data were interpreted based on the Likert's scale as indicated
below. Numerical Ranges Verbal Description 4.21-5.00 Very well Implemented 3.41-4.20 Well
Implemented 2.61-3.40 Moderately Implemented 1.81-2.60 Fairly Implemented 1.00-1.80
Poorly Implemented Part III was the correlation between the level of implementation and school
performance. This is being done through Chi-square and independent samples. Part IVRealities
encountered was an interview with the parents, teachers and school heads. These would generate
information on the challenges encountered. The realities were ranked according to the number of
participants who had experienced the same problem.

Research Procedure
To facilitate the conduct of the study, the researcher asked approval from the dean,
College of Education-Graduate Studies of the University of the Visayas, Cebu City. Right after
the approval of the dean, a letter to the school's division superintendent of Bayawan City
Division asking for authorization to conduct the study in the twenty-six secondary schools. A
copy of the approved letter was attached to the different secondary 30 school heads of the
respective schools seeking permission to field the questionnaires to the randomly selected
participants. The researcher administered the questionnaires. Some were personally done by the
researcher others were given to the school heads who asked that they were administered the
questionnaire by themselves instead of the researcher and other questionnaires were done by the
chief supervisor, who extended his help, especially in the farthest barangay high school so that
the researcher could finish the study. The questionnaires were retrieved after one week, but there
were some who were retrieved after months. With the utilization of the adapted questionnaire
from the CFSS, the researcher gathered all the data. A document review on the performance
indicator was done by the researcher to get the data on the school performance. It was being
secured from the division office specifically in the school's division governance research office.
For the realities encountered, the researcher personally asked the school heads, some answered
orally, others present their School Monitoring and Evaluation Adjustment (SMEA) where the
information about the gaps of their school can be seen. For the teachers, an interview was taken
during the in-service training, where the researcher had a chance to meet some of the teachers
from other schools. For the parents, an interview was taken during PTCA meeting held quarterly
two weeks after the periodic test. After gathering essential data needed to address the research
problems, the data were tallied, tabulated and were being subjected to statistical manipulation.
The realities were also ranked according to how many times these problems were being
mentioned or presented from the participants. After coming up with all the data needed in the
study, the researcher was able to draw with objective findings and conclusions. From the
generated 31 conclusions, recommendations were drawn. Finally, a CFSS program model was
proposed for the betterment of program implementation.

Findings

Table 1. School Performance of the Child-Friendly School System

Schools Participation rate Survival rate Retention rate Repetition rate Completion rate

Average 94.76% 94.52% 5.43% 5.84% 95.86%

As shown in the table above, participation rate, survival rate, and completion rate have an
average of 90 above which means the school performance on the implementation of the child-
friendly school is outstanding. The average survival rate was also outstanding. While in the
completion rate, all schools in Bayawan City Division got above 90 percent, which means the
performance of the school in terms of cohorts' completion rate was outstanding. On the other
hand, the average retention rate and repetition were almost the same. The low retention rate
and repetition rate, aside from the implementation of the childfriendly school program, were
also an effect of other programs in the Department of Education which is Education for All.
Thus, Ullah (2016) emphasized on the child-friendly school system that this program is
getting access to quality education in a child-friendly atmosphere. It also promotes better
primary education as well as opportunities for children in remote areas. Weshah, Al-Faori,
and Sakal (2012) in their discussion- a child-friendly school has dimensions. It is a child
seeking. That includes ensuring full school enrolment, retention and school completion of all
children within the school's catchment area. All children, regardless of their race, background,
and ability have equal opportunities to enter the school and participate in learning inside and
outside the classroom. However, the retention rate in this study refers to the ratio of the
number of retained students the number at risk.

Level of Implementation of the Child-Friendly School System

 The implementation of the Child-Friendly School System in Bayawan City Division from
children's participation in school and community, children's health and well-being, safe and
protective space for children, enrolment, and completion, academic achievement and success,
teachers' morale and motivation and community support are presented on the tables below. It
shows the weighted mean and descriptive equivalent.
It is being done in two hundred sixty participants in the twenty secondary schools in the
Division of Bayawan City which includes the school heads, the teachers and the students.

Children’s Participation in School and Community. A child-friendly school involves

children's families and the community. Table 2 shows the working student government, the
involvement of the students in the meeting and planning session that concern their wellbeing and
community work. Table 2 reveals that the overall which was well implemented. It means that the
implementation of the child-friendly school in terms of student's participation in school and
community is visible and encourage in every school. It is all shown on the table that 42 all
schools in Bayawan City Division and the families are coordinating and cooperating especially
in supporting the students to get involved in community work wasvery well implemented.

Children’s Health and Wellbeing. A child-friendly school is healthy for students. It is

said to be fit for students when it promotes children's health. Table 3 presents children's health
and well-being specifically in maintaining regular and updating health records of each student,
holds annual weighing, health, and dental examination. As observed in table 3, that the level of
implementation of a child-friendly school in Bayawan City division in terms of children's health
and wellbeing had a descriptive equivalent of well implemented which means that it is very
evident in the division. This means that the school maintains health record, the LGU health
personnel, and division health personnel provide health assistance, and the health condition of
the learners of Bayawan City division is not at risk. However, there is a slight concern in the
monitoring of the condition with a weighted mean which is moderately implemented.
 Safe and Protective Space for Children. In the implementation of a childfriendly
school program, one of the factors to be considered is the safety and the protection of the
students not just in school but in their way in coming in and going home from school. In school,
all the school personnel should see to it that the classroom have proper ventilation and lighting,
space should be enough for the whole class, armchairs and other furniture should be
appropriately arranged to enable learners to interact and do group works. This is shown in table
4 on the next page. The preceding table shows that the overall weighted mean for safe and
protective space for children which had a verbal description of well implemented. Specifically,
classroom layout and furniture arrangement that allows the student to interact and do group
activities which mean that the implementation of child-friendly school in terms of the class
layout was very well implemented. Although most of the classrooms are properly ventilated with
the support of the parents-teachers' association, others were given through donations from
stakeholders, and there are still classrooms who lack electric fans all wall fans to be used by
learners during the hot season. The result implies that the educator correctly implemented the
safety and protection of the learners. Bayawan City Division won a KALASAG award as the
best implementer of disaster risk reduction management. As observed by the researcher during
the study, almost all classrooms have two doors which all swing out. Aside from that with funds
like MOOE and other local funds, the school can maintain facilities for the safety and protection
of the learners. The Brigada Eskwela Program done by the parents, stakeholders, private sectors,
non-government organizations is of big help to monitor, prepare and improved classrooms both
for the parents and the school personnel. Though due to the increasing number of students, there
are still problems with classrooms. May (2019) stressed on overcrowded classrooms on students'
behavior that students who are seated tightly with one another in the classroom might have
difficulty focusing on the lessons, which leads to less learning and lower and lowest test scores.
The invasion of personal space and the feeling of being crowded could both contribute to the
lack of focus on the lessons. In addition, students can be distracted by the noise that are close to
them in a crowded classroom.

Enrolment Completion. A child-friendly school allows all learners to enroll; they do not
refuse any child from joining and attending classes. Table 5 discussed the master list of the
school of all ages whether enrolled or not, the regular coordination of the school with the local
barangay council for the out-of- school-children to enroll in nonformal education, alternative
learning center or the technical education and Skills Development Authority. Table 5 reveales
the enrolment completion showed a verbal description of well implemented. In all factors under
enrolment, the descriptive equivalent is well implemented which means that it is visible and
evident in all schools in Bayawan City Division. 47 The implication on the above table is that
the school boards and the community, particularly the barangay council, work hand in hand to
ensure that every child in the community has the opportunity to be educated may it be informal
and non- formal education such as alternative learning system. An early enrolment was done
every January to ensure that every parents and students are properly informed of the enrolment.
On the other hand, an Oplan Balik Eskwela is also after the Brigada Eskwela so that all the
students are in school in the particular year. However, there is still youth who are uninformed
especially those who are from hinterlands who are busy working on the farm. Some school also
do not have a master list of those who did not enroll especially to who went to other places like
Cebu or Manila to work. Gbolie and Kaemu (2017), in their study, emphasized that student
achievement and community engagement that focuses on fostering success- is now recognized
nationally for boards of education. School boards are charged with the responsibility of creating
conditions within the districts that will help students meet today's more rigorous knowledge and
performance standards. They further state that the principal plays a crucial role in promoting
community partnerships. Facilitating ongoing involvement with families, with a clear focus on
improving student achievement, is perhaps the most critical step schools can take to engage the
community.

Academic Achievement and Success. Another factor to be considered in the

implementation of a child-friendly school program is academic achievement and success. These
are the display of clear vision and mission of the school which is being explained to every school
personnel, child-centered education and complete textbook. Table 6 presents the implementation
in terms of academic achievement and success. As shown in the table above, that academic
performance and success got a verbal description of well implemented. Moreover, a clear
display of vision/mission statement with adequate explanation, as well as the familiarity of child-
centered and child-friendly principle are very well implemented in all schools in Bayawan City
Division. This further explains that Bayawan City Division, with the school heads and the
teachers, are very much particular with the vision and mission statement and at the same time
concern with the holistic development of the student being a child-centered and a child-friendly.
About the textbook, only a few of the schools have a slight problem about providing the learners
completely as shown in table 6. This implies that teacher and students are very much concern of
textbook as learning materials. Some of the subjects still do not have textbook same with the
grade level textbook, specifically in grade seven. Mathur (2018) explained that for the learners,
the textbook is one of the most important sources of contact they have for the language. It is a
framework or guide that helps them to organize their learning. It is helpful to involve students in
the process of adopting textbooks. However, a textbook is only as good as the teacher who uses
it. And it is important to remember that textbook is one tool, perhaps an essential tool, in your
teaching arsenal. Hale (2016), also explained that the textbook provides a reliable point of
reference, unlike the internet, it has been through a process to prove its credibility, available for
generation, someone (authors) are responsible for the information provided, its longevity
provides administrators and teacher with a complete program. The series is typically based on
the latest research and teaching strategies, and good textbook is excellent teaching aids,
resources for both teachers and students.
 Teachers Morale and Motivation. Teachers play a vital role in the life of the leaners as
well as in the implementation of the programs and projects in school. Teachers as part of a child-
friendly school implementer may undergo continuing and advance professional training to boost
their morale. Table 7 below presents the teacher's morale and motivation, including seminars and
training and working areas. The overall weighted mean on teachers' morale and motivation is
well implemented in all factors including continuing and advance professional training of
teachers at least once a year, teachers are trained regularly about new and effective teaching
strategies and teachers having their lounge or working areas. Based on the data, teachers have a
lounge or working area. They even have their faculty room to stay during the vacant time and
have their faculty meeting. The faculty room is also used by the teachers to prepare their visual
aids and to have a conference with students and even parents. They have their individual tables
in the faculty room. Teachers also continue their professional growth may it be in professional
studies such as master’s degree and doctor’s degree, attending seminars and training. They also
have their lesson action cell session (LAC session) at least four times a year as required by their
individual performance commitment and review form (IPCRF); they are also required to have a
focus group discussion. This will enhance them in their teaching strategies, the methods of
teaching, and the lesson to be discussed. Teachers in Bayawan City Division are highly
motivated to teach and participate in all programs and activities in school including the
implementation of the child-friendly school program. Their professional growth increased
morale in dealing with the learners in a child-friendly way. In the latest article of Queens
University of Charlotte (2019), Education is a never-ending process. It does not stop after
earning a degree and starting a career. Through continuing education, career-minded individuals
can continuously improve their skills and become more expert at their respective jobs. In the
field of K-12 education administration, it is particularly essential for school administrations to
encourage teachers in pursuing professional development, not only to ensure the best learning
outcomes for their students but also to be more productive and satisfying aspects of their work.
 Community Support. Remember that learning does not only occur in the four corners of
the classroom. Learning continues when the learners return from school to his family.
Professional parents or highly educated adults ensure the physical, psychological, social and
emotional growth of the child. Table 8 reveals the meeting of parent’s teachers and
community with a written plan of action, parent’s literacy program, and schools involved in
the literacy program of parents. Community support as shown in table 8 has a descriptive
equivalent of well implemented. Schools parent-teacher-community association who meet
regularly with a written plan of action has a weighted mean of 4.48 with a verbal description
of very well implemented. While coordination with barangay and local institutions to enroll
illiterate parents in literacy program, and school taking the lead in conducting literacy
program for illiterate parents both have a descriptive equivalent of moderately implemented.
Every school in the Division of Bayawan City has parent-teachers and community
association who meet regularly. There is also an overall parent-teacher and community
association in the entire division selected by the officers themselves. For the literacy
program of illiterate parents, some schools failed to identify and to take the lead in
conducting literacy program. This is true, especially in barangay high school. However, the
city government is now forming an organization to develop the skills and talents of every
Bayawanons. Pelt (2018), emphasized the importance of family literacy. Family literacy is
obligatory in creating a foundation for children's learning experiences, it will all start with
the parents. Illiteracy of the children today can be traced back to their parents' literacy
experiences in their early lives. When parents do not feel comfortable with books, they do
not read to their children, and they likely don't have many in the house for their children to
browse or read themselves. This is why family literacy programs emphasize teaching
families together and ensuring that parents understand the importance of learning outside of
a school environment.
 Summary of the Level of Implementation of the Child-Friendly School. The table below
shows the summary of the level of implementation of the child friendly school based on the
seven major indicators which are: students’ participation in school and community; students’
health and well-l being; safe and protective spaces for students; enrolment and completion;
academic achievement and success; teachers’ morale and motivation; and community support.
The table shows that the seven indicators used in the study got a mean average of 3.88 with a
descriptive equivalent of well implemented. It also shows that all the indicators have a
descriptive equivalent of well implemented which means that the division closely monitors all
schools if they have implanted the program. The schools also do their best to implement the
program for the benefit of the students. However, there are still indicators that will be given
more actions such as the community support and children’s health and well- being who got the
lowest mean average of all the indicators. This is being emphasized by Padilla (2009), that the
Department of Education has implemented the child friendly school program in the Philippines
system has elected to focus on Intervention to create schools that are effective for the children,
healthy for all children and protective of all children, and inclusive and gender sensitive, and that
involve families and community institutions.
 The School Performance and the Level of Implementation. This presents the
relationship between the school performance and the level of implementation of child- friendly
school system in Bayawan City Division. Table 10 below shows the significant relationship
between the level of implementation of childfriendly school system the areas include students'
participation in school and community, students' health and well- being, safe and protective
spaces for students, enrolment, and completion, academic achievement and success, teachers'
morale and motivation, community support for education. And the school performance; the
percentage of school performance in the participation rate, cohort's survival rate, retention rate,
repetition rate, and completion rate. The level of implementation has seven indicators, while the
school performance has five indicators. The table shows that the p- value in the implementation
of the child-friendly school system in terms of children’s participation in school and community,
children’s health and well -being, safe and protective spaces for children, enrolment and
completion, academic achievement and success, teachers' morale and motivation, and
community support vs. school performance are lower than 0.05. Therefore, the null hypothesis is
rejected. This implies that there is a significant relationship between these factors. Meaning, the
level of performance of the child-friendly school system affects the school performance in the 26
Secondary Schools in Bayawan City Division. In the study of Mwangi (2014), it showed that the
implementation of the CFS program influences the participation in education in Mathare
Informal Settlement, Starehe District, Nairobi County. It is evident that WASH has improved
enrollment, attendance, involvement in classroom activities and engagement in classroom
activities. The girls are the biggest beneficiaries of WASH as provided as the CFS program.
Adegoke and Nweneka (2016) on the assessment of the Child- Friendliness of Primary Schools
and School average, the result shows that extracurricular activities contributed significantly to
pupil’s achievement in mathematics. Cobagnoglu, Tuncel and Ordu (2018) in their study, that
the child- friendly school is a concept that includes variables such as school building,
environmental arrangements, teaching-learning process, sources and materials, the teacher,
principals, health, security, democratic participation, and gender sensitivity. All these variables
have the strength of affecting educational quality either directly or indirectly.
Summary of Findings

Generally, the implementation of The Child-Friendly School System of Bayawan City

Division is successful in all twenty-six secondary schools. This includes the students'
participation in school and community, students' health and well- being, safe and protective
spaces for students, enrolment, and completion, academic achievement and success, teachers'
morale and motivation and community support.
The school performance on the implementation of the child-friendly school system in terms
of cohort’s participation rate, cohort’s survival rate, and the cohort’s completion rate is
outstanding while cohorts retention rate and cohorts repetition rate is meager.
The level of implementation of the child friendly school system in Bayawan City Division as
indicated in the students’ participation in school and community; students’ health and well-l
being; safe and protective spaces for students; enrolment and completion; academic achievement
and success; teachers’ morale and motivation; and community support are well-implemented.
There is a significant relationship between the level of implementation in terms of students’
participation in school and community; students’ health and well- being; safe and protective
spaces for students; enrolment and completion; academic achievement and success; teachers’
morale and motivation; and community support and the school performance in terms of retention
rate, completion, participation rate, survival rate and completion rate.
The stakeholders have realized the importance of school facilities, interest, and attendance of
students, complete family and the wise use of modern gadgets in the implementation of the
child-friendly school system.

Conclusions

Outstanding school performance in the twenty secondary schools in the Division of Bayawan
City is very evident due to the implementation of a child-friendly school program. It has brought
positive change to students, teachers, school heads, the families and the community. This is
being manifested significant effect of the school performance during the implementation of the
child-friendly school. The schools and the community, knowing the vision and mission of the
child-friendly school program despite challenges encountered, implemented well the program
and the whole division is experiencing its improvement and sustainable development.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations on the implementation of
the child- friendly school system were advance to sustain its development further.

1. Bayawan City Division may conduct an annual dental check-up for all students to
cater to dental needs.
 2. There must be a one to one ratio of textbook per student to increase the capacity of
learning among students of Bayawan City Division.

3. Bayawan City Division should have a list of students enrolled and not enrolled in the
current year, as to make some interventions and program for those who are not
enrolled in formal education.

4. Design a child-friendly school system model focusing on the least implemented areas.

Child -Friendly School System Program Model

Rationale

A child-friendly school is a better place for formal learning. It is an institution that

recognizes and respects the rights of the students in school. It is not only the right to be
educated; it also includes the right to be healthy, to be given opportunities for play and leisure, to
be protected from harm an abuse, to express views freely, to participate in extra and co-
curricular activities and to be involved in decision-making according to their evolving capacities.

UNICEF on a child-friendly school system emphasized that the school is a significant

personal and social environment in the lives of the students. A child-friendly school ensures
every child a physically safe environment, emotionally secure and psychologically enabling. The
teachers are the single most crucial factor in creating an effective and inclusive classroom. A
child is a natural learner, but this capacity to learn can be weakened and sometimes destroyed. A
child-friendly school supports, recognizes, and encourages children's growing capabilities as
learners by providing a school culture, teaching behaviors and curriculum content that focus on
the learning and the learners. The ability of the school to be and to call itself a child-friendly is
directly linked to the participation, support, and collaboration it receives from families. Child-
friendly school aimed to develop a learning environment in which children are motivated and
able to learn. Staff members must be warm and welcoming to children and attend to all their
health and safety needs.

With this, Bayawan City Division being one of a child-friendly school implementer as
mandated by the Department of Education National Memorandum 73 series of 2006 is already in
its tenth year of implementation, and one elementary school was awarded as a child-friendly
school. It is noted that program implementation is very evident. However, some practices need
to be developed and enhanced. Hence, this ChildFriendly School System Model is proposed to
achieve the goals and objectives and a higher level of school performance in a particular school.

Objective
To introduce a child-friendly school system program model to provide quality education for all.
This will focus on the moderately implemented indicators seen in the study on the level of
implementation of the child-friendly school system of Bayawan City Division which are: the
annual dental health care, coordination with the barangay and local institution to enroll
illiterate parents in a literacy program and the school will take the lead in conducting literacy
program. Furthermore, this program will find solutions to the realities encountered by the
stakeholders during the implementation of the childfriendly school such as school buildings
and facilities, teachers’ attitude towards work and absenteeism of students.

By this, Bayawan City Division will increase and sustain the school performance by decreasing
the number of repetition rate and retention rate to its lowest level bringing all the students of
Bayawan City to achieve their dreams of having the quality of life in a child-friendly way.

Child -Friendly School System Program Model

Brief Description of the CFSS Model

The Child-Friendly School System Program Model has seven indicators which are;
children’s participation in school and community, children’s health and well -being, safe and
protective spaces for children, enrolment, and completion, academic achievement and success,
teachers’ morale and motivation and community support. The following program should be
implemented based on the needs of the school in the division:

1. Mobilize Community Support for Education- School has a Parent-Teacher-Community

Association (PTCA) that have elected leaders, meet regularly and has a written plan of
action; school coordinates with the barangay and local institutions to enroll illiterate parents
in literacy programs; school takes the lead in conducting literacy programs for illiterate
parents.
2. Enhance children’s health and well-being –School should maintain regularly and updates
health record of its students, holds annual weighing and health examination of students and
holds annual dental examination of students.
3. Encourage enrolment and completion- School has a master list of all age children in the
community, whether enrolled or not; school regularly coordinates with the local barangay
council to identify school-age children who are out-of-school to bring them to school; school
conducts campaigns to encourage parents to enroll their children.
4. Raise teachers morale and motivation- Teachers undergo continuing and advance professional
training at least once a year; they are regularly trained in new and effective strategies;
teachers have their lounge and work area.
5. Ensure children’s high academic and success- The school has a clear vision and mission
statements that are prominently displayed and adequately explained to all school personnel;
school head. The teachers are likewise, familiar with child-centered and childfriendly
principles; the school provides each pupil a complete set of textbooks.
6. Guarantee safer and protective spaces for children- The school has a classroom wide enough
for children performing their activities. There are also school guards and guidance counselor.
It has also proper transportation for students in going to school and going home from school.
7. Encourage children's participation in school and community- The school has a functional
student government; the school involves pupils in meetings and planning sessions that
concern their well-being; the school encourages students to get involved in community work.

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