Research Capability Skills of Research Teachers in Kalamansig and Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines

This study assessed the research capability skills of research teachers from Lebak Legislated National High School and Kalamansig National High School in Sultan Kudarat, Philippines. A descriptive-survey method was employed using an adapted questionnaire to gather data on demographic profiles, self-perceived research capabilities, and support systems available to the teachers. Findings revealed that respondents were relatively young, with 38.30% aged 21–30 years, another 38.30% aged 31–40, 21.28% aged 41–50, and only 2.13% aged 51 and above. The gender distribution was skewed, with 68.09% female and 31.92% male, indicating unequal representation. In terms of educational attainment, 23.40% held only a bachelor’s degree, 42.55% had earned master’s units, 25.53% had completed a master’s degree, and only 8.51% had doctoral units, with none holding a full doctoral degree. The respondents reported a moderate level of confidence in writing research proposals (M = 3.47) and in producing publishable research papers (M = 3.42). However, the overall mean of 1.60 for research support systems indicates a severely inadequate infrastructure to sustain research efforts. The demographic factors, such as age, gender, educational attainment, and position, have a correlation with their research capability skills. Younger teachers were more adaptable but less confident, while female teachers, though capable, faced time and workload constraints. Teachers with advanced education levels displayed stronger research confidence, though a lack of ongoing professional development affected sustained research engagement. Given these findings, the study recommends a structured extension program focused on capacity-building workshops, mentoring, and institutional support mechanisms to develop and sustain a culture of research among DepEd teachers in the Sultan Kudarat region.