Managing Visions and Implementation Gaps of Local Colleges Towards the Formulation of a Development Agenda

The establishment of local colleges in the province of Bohol has significantly broadened access to higher education opportunities for its people to its populace.  These local colleges, overseen by the local government units (LGU), play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of the province. This study carefully investigates the strategic frameworks employed by the six (6) Local Colleges of Bohol in managing visions and pinpointing the gaps that hinder these local colleges in the realization of their respective institutional visions. The study also proposed interventions in regards to the gaps and develop agenda for local colleges to attain their vision.  This qualitative study used thematic approach to examine the perspectives of 25 top administrators gathered through a one-on-one interview. Central to the findings is the recurrent theme of local colleges’ vision revolving around the twin pillars of quality and excellence, underpinned by a steadfast commitment to core values. Actions and initiatives of local colleges were further evaluated based on the five key result areas identified by CHED. Interviews with the top administrators disclosed financial gap as the primary factor challenging the attainment of its institutions’ vision since local colleges are underfunded. As resource-dependent institutions, local colleges needed relative independence and management control to move forward in carrying the attainment of its vision. The study concludes that the latent potential within local colleges have to realize their visions, contingent upon cohesive collaboration among various subsystems, including the LGU officials. Finally, the study proffers a comprehensive set of recommendations and a five-point development agenda that may warrant the success, sustainability, and operational efficacy of local colleges across Bohol province.