Gender-Responsive Leadership and Inclusive Educational Management Practices of School Principals in Region XI: Basis for an Inclusive Leadership Mentorship Program

This quantitative study examined gender-responsive leadership and inclusive educational management practices among school principals in Region XI as a basis for developing an Inclusive Leadership Mentorship Program (ILMP). Findings revealed that both principals and personnel demonstrated high and aligned perceptions of gender-responsive leadership and inclusive practices, although these were not yet fully institutionalized across schools. Most respondents belonged to the middle-income group, with principals reporting moderate to high participation in gender-responsive training, while personnel exhibited lower exposure, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA), indicating disparities in access to professional development. Leadership practices were strongly evident across transformational, servant, democratic, instructional, and participative styles, with participative leadership emerging as the most dominant. Inclusive educational management practices, including gender-equitable curricula, inclusive teaching strategies, policies, community collaboration, and monitoring systems, were also rated at moderate to high levels, though implementation inconsistencies were noted. A strong positive correlation (r = .857, p < .01) was found between gender-responsive leadership and inclusive practices, highlighting leadership as a critical determinant of inclusivity. CHAID analysis identified respondent group, school size, and training exposure as significant predictors, emphasizing the role of organizational context and professional development. No significant differences were observed between principals and personnel, except in transformational leadership. Overall, while practices are well-established, gaps in consistency, training access, and institutionalization persist. These findings informed the development of the ILMP, a structured, data-driven intervention aimed at strengthening leadership competencies, standardizing inclusive practices, and promoting sustainable gender-responsive and inclusive education across diverse school contexts.