CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Today's leaders must be able to lead in a multicultural

environment. They must also have a thorough grasp of

individual and group dynamics based on the most recent

behavioral and social science research. Coaching, mentoring,

and communication skills are all covered in the Leadership and

Global Dynamics major. The basics of being competent and

prepared to inspire others. Effective leadership is built on

unique and borrowed ideas that are effectively communicated to

others in a way that entices them to perform in the way the

leader desires. A leader motivates people to take action while

also guiding their actions. They must be likable enough for

people to follow their directions, and they must be able to

think critically enough to know how to effectively use the

resources available to an organization.

Leadership in the United States entails getting things done,

discovering shortcuts to success, and creating money for

oneself, one's company, and stockholders. Chief executives are

given authority and responsibility and then expected to act.

They rarely fail to do so. Similarly, because motivation in

the United States is typically monetary, it does not have the

1
tangled meanings that it has in European and Asian businesses.

Managers are capable of collaboration and corporate spirit,

but they favor individual liberty over the well-being of the

organization. They move about a lot. If they make mistakes,

they risk being dismissed. In China, decision-making is

centered on ensuring that all parties' balances are

considered. Before making a decision, the Chinese want to make

sure that all sides of an issue have been considered and that

all issues have been thoroughly considered. Going back to the

beginning and starting the thoughts and conversation all over

again is a common part of this process. Chinese leaders are

more inclined to value teamwork and collaborative decision-

making over their Western colleagues' more directive and

aggressive methods, which Chinese management can see as

uncooperative.

According to the study, Filipino leaders have been "quite

adaptive to socio-cultural norms and corporate practices" as a

result of a culture and history that were open to foreign

influences. However, according to the study, the same

attributes that make Filipino leaders globally mobile and

effective collaborators may also stifle the development of

emerging leaders. Given that the crisis has affected all

sections of society, leadership in the Philippines is

challenging, even at the grassroots level. However, this

condition has caused disintegration in families and society as

2
a whole. Establishing leadership views in the Philippines

necessitates an awareness of the people's culture and

subcultures.

The effectiveness of the Student Council in the school can

bring good results for the students and for the student

council itself. The necessity for students to have an outlet

to maintain a deeper and more amicable connection with the

school administration necessitated the formation of the

Student Council as a student organization. The Student Council

establishes the fundamental duty of bringing the student

constituents' voices to the attention of the school

authorities, thereby assuming the noble responsibility of

working for the overall welfare of the student body. The

Student Council continues to assist the students by developing

school-wide impact initiatives and programs. Since a school

year would not pass without it being scrutinized in a general

assembly, it has been serving the students with fairness and

transparency.

The effectiveness of the Student Council in the school can

bring good results for the students and for the student

council itself. The key points are based on society’s evolving

attitudes toward children and youth, as well as the growing

need to support and foster youth engagement. The necessity for

students to have an outlet to maintain a deeper and more

amicable connection with the school administration

3
necessitated the formation of the Student Council as a student

organization. The Student Council establishes the fundamental

duty of bringing the student constituents' voices to the

attention of the school authorities, thereby assuming the

noble responsibility of working for the overall welfare of the

student body. The Student Council continues to assist the

students by developing school-wide impact initiatives and

programs. Since a school year would not pass without it being

scrutinized in a general assembly, it has been serving the

students with fairness and transparency. This research is

based on important factors such as student and student leader

perceptions of the factors that influence the effectiveness of

the St. Michael Academy Student Coordinating Council. The

study's findings may aid student leaders by providing them

with a wealth of information on how the Student Council

functions as a student organization.

Existing empirical data shows the benefits of student

councils. This includes management support, better student and

staff partnerships, a drop in indiscipline events, school

instability, and improved success in both instructional and

co-curricular programs. Councils that were mostly elected by

students but had some teacher input in the selection of the

council leader seemed to be the most successful, as council

members were sanctioned by both students and staff. It was in

contrast to the ones named by the school administration. It is

4
possible to provide representation from each class on the

council while keeping the council limited and manageable. Huge

committees, according to the researchers, have a broader image

of the student body, but they face more difficulties in terms

of organization and coordination. Since they are future school

leaders, they may be able to identify which programs and

projects will have the greatest influence on students' well-

being. For the students, the findings of this study will

provide them with crucial information about how effective the

Student Council is at guiding them through programs and

projects that benefit their overall well-being.

5
Objectives of the Study

This study aims to determine the factors influencing the

effectiveness of the student coordinating council of Saint

Michael Academy.

Specifically, the study aims to;

1. Determine the socio-demographic profile of the

respondents in terms of;

1.1 Sex

1.2 Grade level

2. Determine the factors that influence the effectiveness

of the student coordinating council of Saint Michael

Academy in terms of:

2.1 Flexibility in terms of doing their duty and

responsibilities

2.2 Influence with their co-officers and schoolmates

2.3 Experience as an officer

6
 3. Evaluate how the Saint Michael Academy student

coordinating council serve in terms of:

3.1 Accomplishment

3.2 Transparency

3.3 Discipline

Significance of the Study

The effectiveness of the Saint Michael Academy Student

Coordinating Council may vary depending on the factors that

influence them. In this manner, this research gathered

information to address the problem and to conduct a study.

This section will provide a brief description of the various

significance of the study given the following beneficiaries:

STUDENTS. The results of this will help them understand

the purpose, of the student council to the whole community.

They may be able to be aware of its responsibilities and their

functions.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. This study will help them identify

the effectiveness of its student body deed. The factors that

7
affects its effectivity, with this they may be able to provide

assistance for them to improve their function.

SAMSCC ADVISER. The study’s findings will assist Mr. Ross

Ernest P. Sacristan to determine whether the performance of

the SMASCC officers are good or bad. Also, it can be used as a

reference to know what are the things that needed to be

changed in order to improve the SMASCC.

SMASCC OFFICERS. The results of this study will help them

evaluate their effectiveness with this they may be able to

come up with a plan how they will carry on their office on the

following school year.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS. The results of this study will be

able to contribute to the body of knowledge that is already

present. This can also serve as a source of information to

conduct a new study with different variables.

Scopes and Limitations

This study will only be limited to the effectiveness of

the SMASCC, the factors that influence its effectiveness will

be vital in the realization of its study.

8
 Junior high school students will serve as its

respondents, the socio-demographic profile of the respondents

such as year level and sex are included in the study.

The study will be conducted at St. Michael Academy in the

school year 2021-2022.

The Senior High Students will serve as the study’s

limitation to avoid biased answers because most of the Council

officers are in Senior High.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The effectiveness of students’ councils in terms of how

they operate

According to a study report prepared for the National

Children's Office by The Children's Research Centre, Trinity

College, on behalf of the National Children's Office (2005),

having monthly meetings is among the most important aspects of

an effective council. According to the HASAS School Survey

(2010), the standard practice across Scotland is for 12

9
student councils to meet once a month. Just about 19% of

student councils meet every two weeks. 14 percent of student

councils meet only once every school year, while the remaining

33 percent have no fixed timetable and meet on an irregular

basis. Sixty-one percent of student councils (the vast

majority) meet during class, while one-fifth (20%) meet during

breaks or lunch. The student council must attend regular

meetings and have timely guidance. A meeting schedule has been

identified as a critical aspect (Hannam, 2001; Davies, 1998;

Dobie and Macbeth, 1998). Meeting timing has significant

psychological and functional consequences. Meetings after

school or during lunch raise the student council to the level

of a club, whereas meetings during the school day raise it to

the level of the National Curriculum (Davies, 1998). Davies

(1998) also mentions the importance of staff cooperation when

it comes to students skipping classes and trying to make up

assignments.

Another requirement for an effective student council is

the existence of a written constitution or official ground

rules for comparison. Furthermore, the student council's

functions and duties must be clearly stated to all

participants. In his report, Kinyua (2009) stresses the

importance of having well-defined roles for all student

council representatives for them to effectively perform the

10
tasks. Another critical aspect of an efficient student council

is effective input and coordination processes, as well as the

participation of senior management. Feedback from informal

friendship groups is often preferable, and some students

listen best outside of the classroom setting. People's voices

can be heard across egalitarian mechanisms and communication

channels provided by class councils. (Ireland's National Youth

Council, 2002) Good contact can be improved at sessions to

maintain a cordial professional relationship with other

members of the council. There should be equal representation

in terms of day-to-day service. Fair representation should be

assessed by how often student councilors solicit and express

the interests of their peers/ voters rather than just assert

their views and opinions. This would increase the legitimacy

and efficiency of the council.

A student council's efficiency improves as he or she has

enough time. According to the Having a Say at School (HASAS)

Survey (2010), time allotted for student council can be viewed

in terms of how frequently the council meets, how long each

session lasts,s preparing or preparation time, policy

execution, and contact, including both adult decision-making

and fellow students. A lack of time in discussions to discuss

all topics was cited as a barrier by 55% of both student

councils and school employees. Lack of time to gather other

11
students' opinions was cited as a challenge by 38% of pupil

councils and 46% of adult advisors.

Support is also necessary for the efficient operation of

SCs. A lot of students, and most importantly, the principal,

should be supportive. According to Whyte and Keogh (2005),

certain aspects outside of the school setting have been

described as assisting SCs in operating effectively. These

considerations include financial funding, policies requiring

student representation, genuine political support, being taken

seriously by the media, and collaborating with other

organizations to achieve an objective. For SCs to function

effectively, there ought to be a broad agenda, not narrowly

prescribed by the principal, that includes both students'

immediate concerns and school policy issues, such as those

affecting learning and teaching. (PARAPHRASED)

12
Effectiveness of students’ councils in terms of what they

accomplish

The significant improvements in school life that occur

from SC interventions can be used to assess their

effectiveness. The most common explanation for having a SC at

all is to allow for shared decision-making among students and

staff at the school.

According to the HASAS School Survey (2010), the success

of SCs can also be calculated in terms of accomplishments,

like what they wanted to achieve by the end of the program.

This refers to issues that students believe have an effect on

the nature of their and their classmates' everyday school

lives1. SCs will be successful in many areas, according to the

National Youth Council of Ireland (2002): serving other

pupils, including participation at meetings, bringing concerns

from peers, and being prepared to speak at meetings;

individual success in terms of positioning and engagement, and

carrying out leadership positions; carrying out their

schedules and organizing activities; making tangible changes

to school life; and strengthening school culture2.

1
Mugabe, M. J. & Maposa, A. D. (2013). Methods of curbing learner misconduct in Zimbabwean
secondary schools. International journal on new trends in education and their implications.
Vol. 4, Issue 4, Article 10: 111-122.
2
Mugabe, M. J. & Maposa, A. D. (2013). Methods of curbing learner misconduct in Zimbabwean
secondary schools. International journal on new trends in education and their implications.
Vol. 4, Issue 4, Article 10: 111-122.

13
Training and effectiveness of students’ councils

Training is an integral part of preparing student

councils to run, and it can take place first before ground

rules are formed so that the body can participate in the

process3. Training is a vital support for councils because it

gives stakeholders the expertise they need to work

efficiently, plan committees, reach consensus on issues,

coordinate events, access and represent opinions, and

negotiate with management. It would also give council members

the ability to network and form partnerships4.

To ensure that student leaders carry out their mission

efficiently, they should really be adequately educated and

inducted to address even complex problems on their own. The

school administration and management should create a Student

Leaders Training Manual that addresses all aspects of student

leadership. This training equips SCs with the expertise,

skills, and tools needed to become involved and engaged

leaders in their schools and communities. The success of a

student council is greatly influenced by whether or not newly

elected student leaders receive leadership training5.

Council size and effectiveness of students’ councils

3
Buchere, P. (2011). The Training of Provincial Administrators and its Role in Conflict
Management within Rift Valley Province, Kenya.
4
Mulford, B. (2003). School leaders: Changing roles and impact on teacher and school
effectiveness. Education and training policy division, OECD.

5
Hofman, R.H., Hofman, W.H.A. & Guldemond, H. (2002). School governance, culture, and student
achievement. International journal of leadership in education. Vol.5(3):249-272.

14
 The size and composition of a SC are often determined by

the B.O.M. as well as the school administration, in light of

both the need for them. The need for the council to be

inclusive of all students in the classroom, as well as the

need for it to act effectively in a broad school, for example,

it may not always be sufficient for each class to have a

delegate on the board. When the Board of Management and the

school administrators vote to allow representation for every

year group instead of each class, each class should be able to

select a candidate for election.6

Because of their recent introduction to secondary school, a

B.O.M may consider, at its discretion or even on the

recommendation of the principal, that first-year students

should not be assigned to the SC. When a B.O.M makes such a

decision, it should put in place appropriate mechanisms to

ensure that first-year students' viewpoints and needs are

answered, such as by a mentoring scheme. This should be

remembered that the first years are very important because

they see the school from new eyes and perspectives.

School size and effectiveness of students’ councils

6
Powers, D. R. & Powers, M. F. (1984). Making Participatory Management Work:
Leadership of Consultative Decision-Making in Academic Administration. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.

15
 The size and composition of a SC can be determined by the

size and composition of the school. As in every democracy, the

greater the citizenry's size, the larger the amount of

people's representatives. Smaller schools, it's also argued,

reinforce personal relations and foster a sense of identity.

Smaller schools have also higher percentages of parental

support and are associated with stronger parental engagement7.

Theoretical framework

This study is anchored on the Social Systems Theory by

English sociologist and philosopher Herbert Spencer and French

7
Bäckman, E. & Trafford, B. (2007). Democratic governance of schools. Council of Europe
Publishing, Accessed from: http://tandis.odihr.pl/documents/hrecompendium/en/CD%20SEC
%202%20ENV/PARTNERS%20RESOURCES/CoE%20DemocraticGovernanceSchools%20ENG.pdf

16
social scientist Émile Durkheim. Systems theory is the

interdisciplinary analysis of systems in general, with the aim

of elucidating concepts that can be applicable to all kinds of

systems at all levels in all fields of science. The school

system is a breathing, creative organization. A school is

composed of several smaller social structures, such as

departments, commissions, and student councils, all of which

are actively collaborating and interdependent. Anything in a

school is a self-contained environment. However, it is a

device or subsystem in a broader structure (supra system), and

both are interdependent. The school receives pupils, staff,

resource resources, budgets, restrictions such as legal and

policy criteria and parental desires, principles, and

priorities, and current expertise in the community from the

supra structure (environment).

The method converts inputs into finished goods. The term

"systems" refers to "complexes of elements in interaction." A

school, for example, creates a transformed person with

talents, experience, beliefs, and competencies that allow

him/her to positively contribute to self and community. Sub-

systems differ in terms of specialization and extent of roles,

but no one sub-system is superior or inferior to others. To

achieve the system's shared goals, each subsystem plays a

specific and complementary function.

17
 The Systems Theory is appropriate for this study because

a school being a social system has sub-systems such as

students’ council sub-system, which greatly shows their

connection to the students, on how flexible they are, how they

are influenced by their peers, and how experienced they are in

terms of dealing with the students and in doing their

projects.

Conceptual framework of the study

The conceptual framework of the study is the various

factors that influence the effectiveness of the student

council. These are the independent variables of the study.

These factors will impact directly the dependent variable of

the study which is the effectiveness of the student council.

The independent variables of this study are Flexibility, Peer

influence, and Experience. These variables have an influence

on the dependent variable of the study which is the

effectiveness of the student council. It is expected that the

Saint Michael Academy’s student coordinating council are

effective, governance and management processes are inclusive.

18
Hypothesis

 These variables; Flexibility, Peer influence, and

Experience greatly influences the effectiveness of the

student coordinating council in Saint Academy.

19
Paradigm of the Study

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

1. Profile
 Sex
 Year level

2. the factors
that influence
the
effectiveness
of student Effectiveness of
coordinating the student
council of coordinating
Saint Michael council
Academy
 Flexibility

 Peer influence

 Experience

Figure 1.1 the graph above shows the dependent and independent variables of the

study.

20
Definition of Terms

Flexibility. Conceptually, it refers to the capacity

to adjust to short-term change quickly and calmly, so that you

can deal with unexpected problems or tasks effectively.8

Operationally, it refers to how the officers reach the

students.

8
Google.com/retrieved on November 03, 2021/
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/flexibility-at-work.htm#:~:text=Flexibility%20is%20the
%20capacity%20to,he%20or%20she%20is%20overloaded.

21
 PEER INFLUENCE. Conceptually, it refers to acting on

multiple levels – from implicit ‘priming’ effects on bodily

gestures and mood to broader influences on an individual's

social attitudes and activities9. Operationally, it refers to

how much the SC officers and schoolmates influence each other.

EXPERIENCE. Conceptually, it refers to knowledge or

skill in a particular job or activity that you have gained 10.

Operationally, it pertains to the SCs’ ability to deal with

the students, assist with the school teaching staff, and do

their projects for the whole school year.

STUDENT COUNCIL - Conceptually, it refers to a group

of elected and volunteer students working together with an

adult advisor within the framework of a constitution11.

Operationally, refers to a representative body of students

within a school.

ACADEMIC. Conceptually, it refers to the things that

relate to the work done in school, colleges, and

9
Google.com/retrieved on November 03, 2021/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/peer-influence
10
Google.com/retrieved on November 03, 2021/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/
english/experience
11
Google.com/retrieved on November 03, 2021/https://www.tasconline.org/what-is-a-student-
council-

22
universities12. Operationally, it describes the things that the

student council does inside of the campus.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Locale of the study

Figure 3.1 The map above shows the location of Saint Michael Academy

12
Google.com/retrieved on November 03, 2021/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/
english/academic

23
 This study will be conducted at Saint Michael Academy,

located at Bonifacio Corner, Quezon Street, Brgy. Acacia,

Catarman, Northern Samar. It is a private, sectarian, non-

stock secondary school with Sister Mary Ann Allag, O.P. as its

current directress-principal. Saint Michael Academy started in

1946 and has been the only Dominican-28 Siena school in region

8 ever since. The said school is situated near the heart of

Catarman, also known as the Our Lady of the Annunciation

Cathedral Parish.

As a result, all students must exercise their rights in

carrying out their responsibilities, whether on or off-campus,

and must adhere to the Dominican and Catholic Church's

principles, traditions, and ideals.

Saint Michael Academy—Catarman implements the K–12

Curriculum and consists of different tracks such as Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy

and Business Management (ABM), as well as Humanities and

Social Sciences (HUMSS) under the Academic Program.

The school offers an opportunity for the development of

individual talents, a capacity for leadership, a sense of

individual and social responsibility, and a spirit of

24
cooperation and generosity. It also promotes several clubs and

other student organizations during the school year.

The researchers chose Saint Michael Academy due to its

reputation as being one of the most prestigious schools in the

municipality and the entire province of Northern Samar.

Furthermore, the students at Saint Michael Academy are active

and involved in organizations that benefit society, and they

influence other groups, places, schools, and students.

Research Design

This study will utilize a descriptive correlational

method of research and a quantitative research design in

gathering data. This study aims to describe the socio-

demographic profile of the respondents, factors that influence

the student council, the effectiveness of the student council

in terms of flexibility within the council, the influence of

peers, and experiences of the officers, which fall under

descriptive design. It will also be used to discuss the

results of the study after the gathering of data is finished.

The researchers will describe the perspective of the junior

high students on the factors that influence the effectiveness

of the Saint Michael Academy Student Coordinating Council.

25
The Variables

The variables in this study are classified as independent

and dependent variables. The independent variables are as

follows: The Demographic Profile, which includes sex (male-

female), year level (G7-G10), and the effectiveness of the

Saint Michael Academy Student Coordinating Council in terms of

flexibility, peer influence, and experience, is also part of

the independent variable of this study. The dependent variable

of this study is the effectiveness of the Student Council on

the factors that influence them. The stated dependent and

independent variables are needed to gather the information

needed by the researchers. It will also be used to confirm the

researchers' hypothesis about the effectiveness of the student

council.

The Population and Sampling

26
The total number of Junior High School students at Saint

Michael Academy – Catarman is 584. By using Slovin’s formula,

the researchers determined that the sample size of the total

population would be 428 Junior High School students. The

researchers will be using Simple Random Sampling techniques to

select 428 students out of 584 randomly.

The Respondents

The respondents of the study are the Junior High School

students of Saint Michael Academy (G7-G10) for the school year

2021-2022. They are considered the best respondents because

they’re most likely the ones who will be affected by the

student council’s project for the whole school, from junior

year to senior year.

Research Instrument

The study utilized an adapted and modified research

questionnaire based on the study of FACTORS INFLUENCING

EFFECTIVENESS OF STUDENTS’ COUNCILS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY

27
SCHOOLS IN KIRINYAGA EAST SUB-COUNTY, KENYA and its author,

Kinyua Anthony Charles, containing 15 items 22

. The

questionnaire was composed of 4 parts: the first part is

composed of questions that asked for the students’ demographic

profile, which includes the respondent’s name, sex, and year

level; the second part evaluates how flexible the student

council is; the third part shows how much influence the

student council officers, schoolmates, and friends have; and

the fourth part shows the experience of the respondents from

the Saint Michael Academy Student Coordinating Council

officers.

Scoring and Interpretation

To evaluate the hypotheses of this study, the table below

will be used13. The research variables were quantified as

follows:

Score Mean Ranges Interpretation

1 – 3 1.00 – 1.79 Not Observed

4 – 6 1.80 – 2.59 Rarely Observed

7 – 9 2.60 – 3.39 Somewhat

Observed

10 – 12 3.40 – 4.19 Moderately

Observed

13 – 15 4.20 – 5.00 Highly Observed

13
Google.com/retrieved on January 16, 2021/
http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/90798/Kinyua_Factors%20influencing
%20effectiveness%20of%20students%E2%80%99%20councils%20in%20public%20secondary%20schools%20in
%20Kirinyaga%20East%20Sub-County%2C%20Kenya.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

28
Validation of Research Instrument

The research instrument or the questionnaire survey that the

researchers will use will be validated by their research

adviser and other research teachers. Part 1 consists of a

general survey about the respondent’s demographic profile.

Part 2 tackles the factors that could affect every member of

the Student Council.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will reproduce the questionnaire after being

approved by the school’s research teachers. But before doing

so, the researchers had to be permitted by the school heads to

conduct their survey. The researchers will conduct an online

survey of the respondents. The researchers will use the online

platform Google Form to conduct the survey.

Statistical Treatment of Data

29
 To interpret the data effectively, the researchers

employed the following statistical treatment:

1. Frequency - Frequency distribution will be used on the

demographic profile or first part of the questionnaire.

It will help show either the actual 428 number of

observations falling into each range and/or the

percentage of observations.

The formula for Frequency Distribution and

Percentage14:

f
% = × 100
N

% is the Percent

𝑓 is the Frequency

𝑁 is the Number of cases

2. The Weighted Mean – The Weighted Mean Analysis will be

used for the fourth part of the questionnaire that

14
Google.com/retrieved on November 04, 2021/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/edu/power-
pouvoir/ch8/5214814-eng.htm

30
 tackles one of the variables of the study, which is the

experience of getting the average of a given dataset.

The formula for Weighted Mean15:

∑sx
W=
∑s

W is the Weighted Mean

s is the scale

𝑥 is the matching value

15
Google.com/retrieved on November 04, 2021/https://www.mathsisfun.com/data/weighted-
mean.html

31