Abstract
Heads of public schools are low-paid key players in nation-building and are generally known to have low financial literacy. As such, some of them are known to have been over-borrowing from government and private financial institutions and are caught in a debt trap. Under such conditions, public school heads may not be satisfied with their jobs. Financial literacy, lifestyle, indebtedness, and job satisfaction may have also affected their job performance. The researchers surveyed 176 of the 323 school heads of the Schools Division of Sarangani and found them to have a high level of financial literacy, contrary to conventional belief. They were also proven to lead simple and modest lifestyles. Ironically, the respondents were found to have a high degree of indebtedness. Despite their situation, the school heads were found to be highly satisfied with their jobs and were performing very satisfactorily. The researchers concluded that financial literacy, lifestyle, and indebtedness do not matter to job performance; but job satisfaction does. The results of the study provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between financial literacy, lifestyle, indebtedness, job satisfaction, and job performance among public school heads. By identifying areas for improvement and potential avenues for intervention, the findings contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and well-being of educators in the Philippines and beyond.
