BEYOND LIMITATIONS: TEACHERS' STORIES OF COPING WITH INADEQUATE SCHOOL FACILITIES IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS


Decy Kris L. Cemine LPT
GRADUATE STUDENT, RIZAL MEMORIAL COLLEGES, INC.
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the experiences and coping mechanisms of nine (9) public elementary school teachers from Panabo North District in delivering instruction amid inadequate school facilities, with the purpose of developing a proposed policy framework to enhance instructional delivery in resource-constrained educational settings. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews to capture the participants’ lived experiences, challenges, and adaptive strategies in managing instructional demands under facility-related constraints. Findings revealed that teachers encounter interconnected challenges, including a lack of instructional resources and learning materials, limitations in teaching strategies due to inadequate facilities, and negative impacts on learners’ engagement and classroom management, all of which hinder effective instructional delivery. Despite these difficulties, teachers demonstrated resilience through three primary coping mechanisms: resourcefulness and improvisation in instructional delivery, collaborative and consultative strategies with colleagues, and instructional adaptation through flexible teaching practices. Based on these findings, a proposed policy framework was developed focusing on strengthening instructional support systems, resource management, collaborative professional structures, and context-responsive teaching practices to address facility-related challenges in schools. The study concluded that public elementary teachers exhibit strong professional resilience by transforming resource limitations into opportunities for instructional innovation, collaboration, and adaptive practice, ensuring continuity of learning even in challenging school environments. It further highlights that resilience is not merely an individual trait but a dynamic, system-driven process shaped by environmental conditions and collegial support. Accordingly, it is recommended that school heads strengthen support systems such as improved resource management, institutionalized Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and enhanced Learning Action Cells (LACs), while teachers are encouraged to sustain contextualized and flexible instructional practices; future researchers may further investigate the long-term effects of these coping strategies and explore resilience-based policy interventions in similar under-resourced educational contexts.
Keywords: Beyond Limitations, Inadequate School Facilities, Public Elementary Schools
Journal Name :
EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR)

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Published on : 2026-06-03

Vol : 12
Issue : 5
Month : May
Year : 2026
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