Leadership and Financial Management Competence of Interim School Heads Towards an on-Boarding Program

This study determined the leadership and financial management Competence of interim school heads in the 4th Congressional District of Iloilo as a basis for the development of an on-boarding program. Specifically, it assessed the level of leadership Competence in terms of vision and goal-setting, decision-making and problem-solving, and interpersonal and communication skills, as well as financial management Competence in terms of budget planning and allocation, resource mobilization, and fund utilization and disbursement. A descriptive research design was employed, involving 70 interim school heads, including Teachers-in-Charge (TICs) and Officers-in-Charge (OICs), selected through total enumeration sampling. Data were collected using a validated and reliability tested researcher-made questionnaires. Statistical tools used included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Findings revealed that interim school heads demonstrated a high level of leadership and financial management competence across all dimensions. Based on the findings, an on-boarding program was developed to enhance the leadership and financial management competence of interim school heads, particularly addressing identified gaps. The program aims to improve school governance, financial accountability, and overall effectiveness of interim school leaders.