School Leadership and Supervision Practices in Cebu Province: Insights for Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

This study examined leadership and supervisory practices in basic education, technical-vocational, and higher education institutions across Toledo City, Pinamungajan, and Aloguinsan in Cebu Province’s 3rd District. Using a descriptive-evaluative and mixed-methods design, data were collected from 200 respondents, including administrators, department heads, and teachers, through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis employed descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were interpreted through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that transformational leadership (36.5%) was the most practiced and rated “very highly effective,” followed by instructional leadership (27.5%) and distributed leadership (22.0%), both rated “highly effective.” Traditional/hierarchical leadership (14.0%) and laissez-faire styles were least effective. Leadership approaches demonstrated a high-to-very-high (WM = 4.20) impact on teacher performance, curriculum implementation, student achievement, and school climate. Qualitative themes highlighted the importance of participatory decision-making, professional development, context-sensitive strategies, and equity-focused policies in enhancing institutional performance. The study concludes that effective leadership is central to advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) by fostering inclusive, equitable, and quality education. Recommendations include institutionalizing transformational practices, strengthening instructional supervision, expanding distributed leadership, enhancing professional development, integrating technology into supervision, and adopting equity-driven policies. These findings contribute localized insights that can inform educational reforms and leadership development programs within Philippine schools and beyond.