INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In the Philippines, the educational landscape consists of two main sectors—public and private—that oversee the teaching and instructional processes for educators. Each of these sectors offers unique opportunities for teachers to develop their careers based on specific criteria. The contrasting educational frameworks of public and private schools can lead to a wide range of experiences that help educators discover what approaches work best for them, contributing to their long-term success and stability. According to School Advisor (2018), the main difference between public and private schools is found in how they are financed and managed (De la Fuente,2020).
In relation to this, each educator aspires to secure a more sustainable career in the field of education. A significant challenge confronting many professionals is job stability, which can be affected by the type of instructional framework present in society, leading many teachers to either commit to or withdraw from their roles. One measure of achievement among teaching professionals is the longevity of service rendered or the ability for retention in an organization for an extended period without plans to transition between different systems, making them vulnerable to career advancement and the attainment of stable employment (Clemons,2019).
In recent times, there has been a rapid shift of educators from private institutions to public schools, likely due to the Department of Education's collaboration with teachers to safeguard their rights and well-being. In 2019, teachers employed by DepEd had access to numerous benefits, allowances, and privileges as required by legislation. The swift transition of private school educators to public sectors can be linked to these factors. That’s why, many teachers in the private schools prefer to transfer to public schools despite they will be assigned in far-flung areas or even in island schools (Viana,2021).
The Municipality of Concepcion is made up of island barangays. The Concepcion Islands consist of 17 islands, some of which are populated while others are not, can be found in the northeastern part of Iloilo, Philippines. They are administratively divided into 11 island barangays and fall under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Concepcion. Despite being an island barangay, it has 11 complete elementary schools and three secondary schools. Some of the teachers in these island schools came from private schools because they wanted to have a permanent/ regular job which could sustain the needs of their family and to improve their status as teachers. However, being new to the school environment, they have experienced a lot of struggles and adjustments when they started teaching in their respective island schools.
Island schools, particularly those in remote or rural areas, provide a different teaching landscape. Geographic isolation, limited access to resources, and larger student populations create a set of unique challenges for educators. Teachers in island schools often need to adapt to resource scarcity, limited professional development opportunities, and the pressure of multi-grade classrooms (Du Plessis, 2024).
Thus, because of the aforementioned reasons, the research endeavor was undertaken to explore the lived experiences of teachers from private schools to island schools of the Municipality of Concepcion. Furthermore, the result of the study would serve as basis in formulating a capability training program for teachers.
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