Psych Educ, Document ID: PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.

6728340, ISSN 2822-4353

Research Article

Teachers' Awareness and Schools' Responsiveness to the Child Protection Policy

Aljim B. Alombro*, Roxanne S. Bermejo, Decie S. Cabullo, Shirley A. Teodoro,

Crizel Joy J. Velasco, Angela B. Villanueva, Jergen Jel C. Labaria
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract
The level of teacher awareness and school implementation of the child protection policy in
elementary schools in Bataraza District 1, Palawan was investigated in this study. Researchers used
descriptive and survey instrument to collect data from 166 teachers who were chosen by random
selection. It provided information on the respondents' age, gender, and length of service. The
correlational approach was utilized to determine the association between teachers' child protection
policy awareness and their duration of service, as well as between teachers' child protection policy
awareness and the level of implementation in the school. This study found out that the teachers are
knowledgeable to the Child Protection Policy and schools are compliant to the implementation of the
said policy as mandated. Similarly, the findings revealed that there is significant relationship between
the level of awareness of teacher to the implementation in schools. As a result, the researchers
recommended on the continuous teacher training programs and orientation for further knowledge and
skills enhancement regarding on the provisions of the policy and schools should continuously
strengthen its implementation of the said policy through involving the whole school community and
comprehensive information drive about the policy as Child Protection is a shared responsibility.

Keywords: Child Protection Policy, Responsiveness, Teachers’ Awareness

Introduction because of the challenging situations faced by teachers

As stated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the state
shall protect the right of children to help, including
appropriate care and nutrition, special safeguard from
all forms of abandonment, mistreatment, cruelty,
exploitation, and other conditions detrimental to their
development (Article XV, Section 3 (2)), the
Philippine Government is continuously in work
together with concerned agencies in strengthening
policies regarding child protection. Several laws and
policies relating to child protection were passed and
amended, like; the Child and Youth Welfare Code,
Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act
(RA 9262), and Child Protection Act (RA No 7610)
which states that the state shall provide special
protection to children from all forms of abuse, neglect,
cruelty exploitation and discrimination and other
conditions, prejudicial to their development.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) is the primary welfare agency of the
government whose part is to set principles, recognize
and provide consultative services to public and private
institutions, organizations, and persons involved in
social welfare activities, and monitor the performing
bodies and enforce compliance to standards
concerning children's welfare and protection. On the
other hand, the Department of Education recognizes
that cases of abuse may arise in a school set-up
and other officials within and outside the school. Thus,
it implemented the Child Protection Policy to offer
special protection to children who are threatened or
endangered by conditions that affect their usual
development and over which they have no control and
assist the concerned agencies in their rehabilitation
(DO #40, s. 2012). The policy further reiterates the
duties and responsibilities of the school personnel
from the School Head down to the learners
themselves, preventive/protective and remedial
measures to address child abuse, mistreatment,
violence, discrimination and bullying, and other deeds
of cruelty.
It has been reported that child abuse has risen during
the pandemic as the children cannot go outside their
homes. Bataraza is among the municipalities of
Palawan with the highest cases of child abuse. The
researchers believed that protecting children is
everyone's concern. Teachers and educators play
important roles in implementing the laws and policies
within the school and thus should be well
knowledgeable of the provisions of the child
protection policy.
This study deems beneficial to school administrators
and the Department of Education in providing
additional teacher enhancement programs for a better
implementation of the said policy.

Aljim B. Alombro
2/7
Psych Educ, Document ID: PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6728340, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
Research Questions
The research aims to determine the teachers' level of
awareness and the school's level of implementation of
the child protection policy. Specifically, it sought to
answer the following questions:
1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents
in terms of:
1.1 sex;
1.2 age; and
1.3 length of service?
2. What is the respondents' level of awareness of the
child protection policy?
3. What is the school's level of implementation of the
child protection policy?
4. Is there a significant relationship between the
respondents' level of awareness to their length of
service?
5. Is there a significant relationship between teachers'
level of awareness of the child protection policy to the
level of its implementation in schools?
Literature Review
Child Protection is a vital international phenomenon. It
emphasized preventing abuse and maltreatment. The
United Nations General Assembly approved the Child
Rights Convention in 1989 to avert any impairment
that could threaten children and warrant that it protects
their rights (Mulinge, 2010).
World Health Organization (2006) stated that child
abuse is categorized as physical, sexual, and emotional
abuse. The WHO further reiterated instances of abuse
physically, sexually, and emotionally.
The Department of Education is one government
agency that recognizes the need for a child protection
policy in collaboration with its partners, and
stakeholders shall ensure that all schools are conducive
to educating the children. For the child's best interest
shall be the vital contemplation in all decisions and
engagements encompassing children.
The department targets to guarantee such special
protection from all forms of abuse and exploitation and
care as is essential for the child's well-being, taking
into account the principal rights and duties of parents/
legal guardians (DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012).
The DepEd Order also enumerated preventive and
protective measures to address child abuse,
exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying, and
Aljim B. Alombro
other acts of abuse. Preventive measures suggest that
school personnel, pupils, and parents should attend
training and seminars about dealing with abuse,
including positive peer relationships and enhancement
of social and emotional competence. Protective and
Remedial measures are the procedures employed in
handling school incidents.
In the previous studies regarding Child Protection
Policy in school, Asio et al. found a moderate and
direct relationship between the awareness of teachers
and the responsiveness of the school to a child
protection policy. The result is evident since the
Department promotes such a program to all schools.
This means that the school complies since the teacher
is aware of such a policy. Cervancia et al. (2019)
recommend in their study to dwell on implementing
the DepEd Child Protection Policy focusing on
monitoring the system adopted by schools and on
probing on the capacity of activities afforded to
teachers in both public and private educational
settings. Bayuca (2020) also recommends that
implementation of the Child Protection Policy be
monitored, and a more comprehensive information
drive be given to teachers.
Methodology
Locale of the Study
The study was conducted at Bataraza District I, where
most of the researchers were currently teaching.
Research Design
This study used the descriptive-correlational method.
It described the profile of the respondents in terms of
age, sex, and length of service. On the other hand, the
correlational method was used to determine the
relationship between teachers' level of awareness of
the child protection policy on their length of service
and between teachers' level of awareness of the child
protection policy to the level of implementation in the
school.
Respondents of the Study
The respondents of this study were the selected 166
elementary teachers of Bataraza District 1 the School
Year 2021-2022. They was selected through a random
sampling technique. A Slovin's Formula was used to
determine the sample size.
Sampling Procedure
3/7
Psych Educ, Document ID: PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6728340, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

This study employed the random sampling technique. Table 1. Profile of Respondents in terms of Sex
The respondents was selected from 272 elementary
teachers of Bataraza District 1 within the School Year
of 2021-2022.

Instrumentation

The researchers adopted the instrument entitled Survey

Questionnaire on Awareness and Implementation of
the DepEd Child Protection Policy in Schools by
Macatimpag (2018) and the researchers translated it
into a google survey form.
Table 1 shows the frequency and percentage
Data Collection distribution of the respondents in terms of sex. It is
revealed that out of 166 respondents, there are 41
Before officially gathering data for the study, the males (24.70%) of the total samples and 124 females
researchers first asked permission from the office of (75.30%). This further portrays that there are more
the District Supervisor of Bataraza 1 to conduct the female teachers than males.
study. After obtaining the approval of the District
supervisor, the researchers then informed the possible Table 2. Profile of Respondents in terms of Age
participants about the study, its purpose, and their role
in the conduct of the study. Informing the participants
was done through various online platform means,
such as chat through messenger and through e-mail.
The researchers then send the respondents the link of
the online survey questionnaire which they accessed
and answered through their respective e-mail
addresses.

Data Analysis

The data obtained from the research subjects was

subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics.
Research question 1 involves ordinal data utilizing the
5-Point Likert Scale. Although the mean has been
widely used, the descriptive statistics appropriate to
use in dealing with ordinal data is the median
(Almeda, Capistrano, and Sarte, 2010, as cited by
Falible, 2020). Hence, the median was used to treat the
data.
Table 2 presents the distribution of respondents
according to their age. Most of them were 20 to 29
years old (50.60%), followed by 30 to 39 years old
(39.16%), then 40 to 49 years old (9.64%). Only 1 or
0.60% were of age 50 and above.
Table 3. Profile of Respondents in Terms of Length of
Service

For research questions 2 and 3, SPSS or Statistical

Package for the Social Sciences was used. For research
question 2, it involves ordinal data and ratio data.
Hence, Spearman's rho was used. For research
question 3, it involves two ordinal data. Hence,
Spearman's rho was also used.

Result

Demographic profile of the respondents in terms of

sex, age, and length of service.

Aljim B. Alombro
4/7
Psych Educ, Document ID: PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6728340, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
Table 3 presents the distribution of respondents
according to their length of service. The 101 of the
teacher respondents (60.84%) are 0 to 5 years in the
service. This was followed by 42 teachers (25.30%)
who are 6 to 10 years in the service. Fifteen or 9.04%
of the respondents are 11 to 15 years in the service.
Furthermore, there are 4 teachers (2.41%) that are 16
to 20 years in service and 50 years and above.
Level of awareness of the respondents to the child
protection policy
Table 4. Level of Awareness of the Respondents to the
Child Protection Policy
Aljim B. Alombro
Table 4 shows the 15 item statements which focused
on the provisions of the child protection policy. The
computed General awareness median of these items is
4 with the descr i pt i ve i nt er pr et at i on of
“knowledgeable” shows that the respondents are aware
on the provision of the policy. This implies that
elementary teachers in Bataraza district 1 can handle
any untoward incident related to this policy.
Level of implementation of the school to the child
protection policy
Table 5. Level of Implementation of the School to the
Child Protection Policy
Table 5 shows the level of implementation of the
school to the child protection policy. The result
showed that the median of the level of implementation
of the school to the child protection policy was 4. This
means that the child protection policy was
implemented in the school of Bataraza District I. The
result of this study support the findings of Japhet Z.
Matulac; Karen L. Zamora (2000) the school’s Child
Protection Policy should be firmly implemented and
must be innate to all school personnel to secure
children’s holistic growth and welfare. This result was
quite impressive for this means that elementary
schools in Bataraza District 1 are responsive to DepEd
Order No. 40 series of 2012 also known as the Child
Protection Policy.
5/7
Psych Educ, Document ID: PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6728340, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
The significant relationship between the level of
awareness of the respondents to their length of
service.
Table 6. Relationship Between the Level of Awareness
of Child Protection Policy and the Length of Service of
the Respondents
The relationship between the level of awareness of the
child protection policy and the length of service of the
respondents is shown in Table 6. The computed value
of -0.049, which is less than the tabular value of 0.533,
suggests no significant relationship exists between the
respondents' level of awareness of the child protection
policy and their length of service. Therefore, the null
hypothesis is accepted. This implies that regardless of
their length of service, the respondents are aware of
the child protection policy. The results of this study
confirm Graham et al (2020) findings on their study
which found no evidence that beginning instructors (0–
3 years' experience) were less competent than teachers
with more years of experience either the domain or
dimension level. This gives affirmation to the fact that
even beginning instructors are aware about the child
protection policy as well . As a result, both novice and
experienced teachers are aware of child protection
policy regardless of years in service.
This result is also parallel to the findings of Bayuca
(2020) in the same study to the group of teachers she
tested with 1 to 10 years in service are knowledgable
on the Child Protection Policy.
The significant relationship between the level of
awareness of teachers to the child protection policy
to the level of its implementation in schools
Table 7. Relationship Between the Level of Awareness
to Child Protection Policy and the Level of Its
Implementation in School
The relationship between the level of awareness of the
Aljim B. Alombro
child protection policy and the level of implementation
in schools is shown in Table 7. The computed value of
0.745, which is greater than the tabular value of 0.000,
suggests a significant relationship between the
respondents' level of awareness of the child protection
policy and the level of implementation in schools.
Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. This implies
that since teachers are aware of the child protection
policy, then its implementation in school also follows.
This is related to the findings of Asio et al. (2020)
where there is moderate to direct relationship between
the awareness of teachers and the responsiveness of
the school to the child protection policy.
Conclusion
The results of the study showed that:
1. There are more female teachers (75.30%) than
male teachers (24.70%). For the age, there are
more teachers in the age group of 20-29
having 84 teachers or 50.60%. It was followed
by 65 teachers (39.19%) within the age group
30-39. When it comes to the length of service,
the majority of the respondents are within the
range of 0-5 years.
2. The teachers in are knowledgeable about the
DepEd Child Protection Policy, as shown by
the knowledgeable description of the computed
median.
3. The schools implemented the DepEd Child
P r ot ect ion P oli cy, as shown by the
implemented description of the computed
median, and are compliant with the mandates
of the Department of Education.
4. There is no significant relationship found
between the level of awareness of the child
protection policy and the length of service of
the teachers.
5. There is a significant relationship found
between the level of awareness of the teachers
to the level of implementation of the Child
Protection Policy in schools.
With these conclusions, the researchers recommended
the following.
1. To ensure its implementation, it should be
monitored on a regular basis in schools, and
training modules on positive and nonviolent
classroom management, anger and stress
management, and gender sensitivity should be
incorporated in seminars to be held. Since
female respondents dominated the number of
6/7
Psych Educ, Document ID: PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6728340, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
male respondents the researchers would like to
recommend that same study will be conducted
to check the level of awareness of female
teachers and male teachers.
2. Since teachers are knowledgable on the the
provisions of the child protection policy, the
Department of education and concerned
agencies should continuously implement
teacher enhancement training and program
regarding the salient features of the said policy.
3. School heads should strengthen the
implementation of the child protection policy
by continuously monitoring and evaluating the
salient features of the policy and involve the
parents and stakeholders in the implementation
as members of the executive committee.
4. School heads and education leaders should use
the baseline of this study to strictly monitor,
evaluate and assess the salient features of the
policy.
5. Teachers, school heads, parents, and the school
community should work for hand and hand in
the fully awareness and strict implementation
of the said policy because Child Protection is a
shared responsibility.
References
Aizer, A., & Doyle, J.J. (2018). Economics of child protection:
Maltreatment, foster care, and intimate partner violence. Annual
Review of Economics, 10, 87108. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-
economics-080217-053237
Asio, J.M.R., &Gadia, E.D. (2019). Students’ perception on
ins truc tor bullying in a local c olle ge in Za mba les ,
Philippines.International Journal of Social & Scientific Research, 5
(2), 1-10. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3495293
Asio, J.M.R., &Gadia, E.D. (2018). Awareness and understanding of
college students towards teacher bullying: Basis for policy inclusion
in the student handbook. PAFTE Research Journal, 8 (1), 142-153.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32703.15528
Bayuca, S.A. (2020) Teachers’ Awareness and School’s
Responsiveness to the Child Protection Policy: Basis for a
Development Planhttps://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED606098.pdf
Cervancia, J.M, Hernandez, K.U, Rodavia, M., Roxas,E. (2019).
Child abuse and compliance on child protection policy in private and
public basic educational institutions.International Journal for Cross-
Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 10, (1), 3957-3963.
Aljim B. Alombro
DepEd Order No. 40 series 2012. DepEd Child Protection
Policy. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wpcontent/uploads/2012/05/DO_
s2012_40.pdf
Glen, S. (2012) Slovin’s formula: What is it and when do I use it?
https://www.statisticshowto.com/how-touse-slovinsformula/#:~:text
=When%20Slovin's%20formula%20is
% 2 0 u s e d ,e xa m p le % 2 C %2 0 i n % 20 a % 20 q ue s ti o n ) .
Graham et al.(2020) Do teachers’ years of experience make a
difference in the quality of teaching
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X20313
810?fbclid=IwAR0lRG2SDA0kiewQjq52p87g2U -
EitMJhinJMAD_V_M-MZpg08EybjB414o (accessed on 12TH June
2022).
Macatimpag,L. (2018) A survey questionnaire on the awareness and
imple me nta ti o n of DepEd child prote c tion policy.
https://www.scribd.com/document/371066136/Survey-Questionnair
e-for-Deped-Child-Protection-Policy
Affiliations and Corresponding Information
Corresponding: Aljim Alombro
Email: aljim.bamuya0001@deped.gov.ph
Aljim Alombro
Department of Education - Palawan, Philippines
Roxanne Bermejo
Department of Education - Palawan, Philippines
Decie Cabullo
Department of Education - Palawan, Philippines
Shirley Teodoro
Department of Education - Palawan, Philippines
Crizel Joy Velasco
Department of Education - Palawan, Philippines
Angela Villanueva
Department of Education - Palawan, Philippines
Jergen Jel Labaria
Western Philippines University
7/7