PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES IN MANAGING SCHOOL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is essential in enhancing teaching, learning, and school management in public secondary schools. This study examined the practices and challenges in managing ICT resources in selected public secondary schools in Batangas Province. A descriptive research design was employed, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were gathered from school ICT coordinators and teachers through a validated researcher-made questionnaire focusing on ICT planning, utilization, maintenance, and monitoring and evaluation. Findings revealed that ICT planning and ICT maintenance were practiced moderately, indicating the presence of basic systems but gaps in strategic planning, stakeholder involvement, preventive maintenance, and technical sustainability. ICT utilization and ICT monitoring and evaluation were widely practiced, indicating strong integration of ICT into instructional delivery, administrative tasks, and routine monitoring activities. Teachers demonstrated confidence in using ICT tools; however, the use of ICT for digital assessment, Learning Management Systems, and data-driven evaluation remained limited. ICT maintenance emerged as the weakest area due to insufficient technical support, limited maintenance funding, and the absence of systematic preventive maintenance mechanisms. Key challenges identified included technical constraints, financial limitations, training gaps, planning deficiencies, and weak monitoring systems. The study proposes strategies to strengthen ICT planning, enhance instructional utilization, improve maintenance systems, and institutionalize data-driven monitoring and evaluation to ensure sustainable and effective ICT resource management in schools.