Beyond Administration: School Principals’ Lived Experiences in Fostering Transformational Leadership, Teacher Empowerment, and Sustainable School Improvement in the Division of Santiago City

Authors

  • ELMERCHITA RIBUCA Northeastern College Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64358/q6n0ee70

Keywords:

transformational leadership, school principals, teacher empowerment, sustainable school improvement, educational leadership, phenomenology, school management

Abstract

Abstract

School principals play a pivotal role in shaping educational quality by fostering transformational leadership, empowering teachers, and sustaining school improvement initiatives. As educational systems increasingly confront rapid policy reforms, technological advancements, and evolving stakeholder expectations, school leaders are expected to move beyond administrative responsibilities toward creating collaborative, innovative, and resilient learning organizations. Despite extensive quantitative investigations on educational leadership, limited qualitative studies have explored how school principals personally experience leading transformational change while simultaneously empowering teachers and sustaining continuous school improvement. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of public school principals in the Division of Santiago City regarding transformational leadership, teacher empowerment, and sustainable school improvement. Guided by transcendental phenomenology, twelve (12) purposively selected school principals participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's Seven-Step Phenomenological Analysis. Five major themes emerged: (1) Inspiring Shared Vision through Transformational Leadership; (2) Empowering Teachers through Trust, Collaboration, and Professional Growth; (3) Navigating Leadership Challenges with Resilience and Adaptability; (4) Cultivating a Culture of Continuous School Improvement; and (5) Leading Sustainable Educational Excellence through Stakeholder Engagement. The findings revealed that sustainable school improvement extends beyond administrative efficiency and is deeply rooted in relational leadership, collaborative decision-making, teacher empowerment, organizational learning, and community partnerships. The study concludes that transformational leadership serves as a catalyst for building empowered teaching communities capable of sustaining educational excellence amidst changing educational landscapes. The findings provide significant implications for leadership development programs, educational policy formulation, and principal preparation initiatives within the Philippine basic education system.

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Published

2026-08-30

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 3 (2026): International Journal of Education, Literacies and Curriculum Studies

Section

Articles