Survey studies as pre-planning tools at ICAM

• Main Author: Bantilan, Librada T.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1990
• Subjects: Educational planning; Strategic planning; Education; Educational Administration and Supervision
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6484; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/12898/viewcontent/CDTG004865_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The main component of this Major Paper should have been a Five-Year Plan for the Immaculate Conception Academy of Manila (ICAM). By force of circumstances, however, the Plan became a working paper instead. For the school, at that time, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Moreover, there were other financial-related problems such as dilapidated buildings, lack of adequate and proper facilities, and minimal professional updating. On top of these problems was the periodic flooding of the school with filthy waters, which was beyond the control even of the city government. What was needed then in 1984 at ICAM, when the researcher was supposed to be working on a Five-Year Plan for the school, was an immediate crisis intervention. The intervention consisted of two emergency measures: the use of the fund placements and contingency fund to pay salaries and wages and the display of the books of accounts and audited financial statements for examination by the representatives of the faculty, staff, and parents. The measures were meant to warn the parents and school personnel that the impending closure of the school was imminent. But, it brought about, instead, greater cooperation of the parents and school personnel with the administration. So much so that with the steady school enrolment and commitment of the school personnel, the school administrators resorted to a long-term intervention in view of ensuring the school’s survival and continuing improvement. Thus, in 1986, instead of the usual yearly deficit the school started to have net income annually. Hence, the researcher thought it was time to introduce institutional planning to the school’s faculty and staff in a six-day seminar/workshop. The two survey studies that followed were sources of planning data for the development of a Five-Year Plan for ICAM. The first survey was on the library resources of the school and the second on the teachers’ educational platforms. The results of both surveys were challenging. But, that of the second was also disturbing for it indicated that, in terms of curriculum and instruction, the faculty members were highly traditional educators. What was envisioned then as one important goal of the contemplated Five-Year Plan did not resonate with their educational platforms; hence, the seminar/workshop on Quality Education. Moreover, the development of the desired Five-Year Plan was deferred. Instead, a working paper for the postponed task was prepared for the incoming Board of Trustees and administrators of ICAM to consider. This working paper is currently studied by the leadership team of the impending institutional planning at ICAM which is part of the accreditation process being undertaken by the school.