Abstract
This study explored the experiences of secondary school heads in the Division of Marinduque during the implementation of the Expanded Face-to-Face Learning (EF-FL) program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats encountered by school heads in the implementation of the program. The strengths of the school heads included their leadership and management skills to ensure safe operations, adaptability in implementing teaching and learning modalities, and commitment to inclusive education and well-being of learners and teachers. However, the weaknesses included limited resources, lack of access to technology and resources, and inadequate capacity to monitor compliance. The opportunities gained by school heads included enhanced disaster preparedness, improved communication with stakeholders, personalized learning, and collaboration with the local community. The threats experienced included uncooperativeness of various stakeholders with the school's health and safety protocols, fear of the spread of the virus, and limited resources and facilities. This study proposed a policy emphasizing the need for continuous support and improvement in EF-FL implementation. Despite the challenges, school heads have shown remarkable resilience and creativity in addressing the needs of their students during these challenging times.
