Leadership Capacity and Equity in Resource Management: Addressing Global Gaps in Basic Education
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Abstract
Background and Aim: Leadership capacity and equitable resource management are critical to improving education quality, inclusion, and governance. International frameworks from UNESCO, OECD, and the World Bank emphasize that effective school leadership influences teacher performance, resource allocation, and equitable learning opportunities, thereby supporting SDGs 4, 10, and 16. However, Philippine basic education continues to face persistent challenges related to centralized governance, fragmented institutional coordination, and unequal distribution of educational resources. This study examined leadership and equity themes in global and Philippine education policy documents, compared international frameworks with national priorities, assessed the value of AI-assisted qualitative content analysis, and proposed reform recommendations aligned with the SDGs.
Materials and Methods: This study employed qualitative content analysis using AI-assisted tools to review global education reports and Philippine policy documents. Thematic coding, triangulation, and comparative analysis were conducted to identify recurring patterns, policy gaps, and reform opportunities related to leadership capacity and resource equity.
Results: The analysis revealed five major findings: (1) misalignment among CHED, PRC, and DepEd in teacher education, licensure, and professional standards; (2) centralized governance structures that restrict participatory and responsive decision-making; (3) inequitable resource allocation across regions, gender groups, and income levels; (4) limited school-level leadership capacity due to insufficient training, mentoring, and fiscal support; and (5) fragmented education datasets that constrain evidence-based policymaking. AI-assisted analysis improved efficiency and consistency by supporting systematic coding, reducing repetitive manual work, and identifying latent themes across large document sets.
Conclusion: Strengthening leadership capacity and promoting equitable resource management in Philippine basic education require coherent teacher standards, phased decentralization, equity-sensitive budgeting, institutionalized leadership development, and integrated inter-agency data systems. These strategies can enhance inclusive education, reduce disparities, and strengthen accountable governance in line with SDGs 4, 10, and 16. The study contributes to education policy research by demonstrating how AI-assisted qualitative analysis can support rigorous policy synthesis and evidence-informed reform.
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