Evaluating The School Leaders’ Communication Competence At Lugus District, Division of Sulu: Teachers’ Perspectives

Aida Alamia; Masnona Asiri

doi:10.62596/whczs461

Authors

Aida U. Alamia School of Graduate Studies, Sulu State College, Jolo 7400, Philippines Author
Masnona S. Asiri School of Graduate Studies, Sulu State College, Jolo 7400, Philippines Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62596/whczs461

Keywords:

Communication Competence, School Leadership, Teachers’ Perceptions, Interpersonal Communication, Educational Leadership, Psychological Safety

Abstract

This study assessed the extent of teachers’ evaluation of the communication competence of school leaders in Lugus District, Division of Sulu. It examined communication competence across the domains of clarity and accuracy, listening and feedback, interpersonal communication, written communication, and non-verbal and presentation skills, while also considering the respondents’ demographic profiles such as age, gender, civil status, length of service, and educational attainment. The study employed a descriptive-exploratory research design, with 100 teacher-respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were treated using frequency and percentage distribution, weighted mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, independent samples t-test, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Findings revealed that the majority of respondents were 36 years old and above, predominantly female, mostly married, had five years and below in service, and held bachelor’s degrees. Results indicated that most teacher-respondents perceived the communication competence of school leaders across all domains as “often” manifested. It was also found that teachers with doctorate degrees demonstrated better ways of perceiving the overall communication competence of school leaders. Furthermore, very high positive relationships were observed among the sub-categories of communication competence, indicating strong interrelatedness among these domains. These findings support Rachmad’s (2022) Communication Leadership Theory, which emphasizes that leadership communication is a holistic process designed to establish mutual understanding rather than mere message transmission. In addition, the Leadership for Teacher Flourishing (LFTF) framework (Granville-Chapman, Lee et al., 2024) suggests that leaders who effectively integrate these communication skills create supportive environments necessary for teachers to thrive. Overall, the study underscores the importance of communication competence in fostering a psychologically safe environment that recognizes the unique contributions of a diverse workforce.

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