BEST PRACTICES ON BRIDGING LEARNING GAPS: FROM THE NARRATIVES OF SCHOOL HEADS

Abstract

Learning gaps have always been common in education. The onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic has been especially difficult for students. The transition to remote learning has been a lot tougher on some students than others, and unfortunately, this has led to an increase in learning gaps. Hence, this qualitative phenomenological research study explored the best practices in bridging learning gaps employed by the school heads in Loreto South District. It utilized in-depth interviews to gather data. This study used an interview guide created by the researcher as a qualitative analysis method. The researcher used a tool with a list of questions to keep track of to ensure that all the topics necessary to address the research questions were covered. This study aims to explore school heads’ experiences, challenges, and insights in bridging learning gaps. There were five purposively selected school heads who participated in the conduct of the study. Findings revealed that the learners have poor academic performance because of remote learning during the pandemic. Because of this, learners’ inability to master the basic competencies specifically reading, writing, and arithmetic (3Rs) made bridging learning gaps challenging. The study also revealed that there is a need for the implementation of learning recovery plans and intervention programs to recover learning losses. The study concludes with recommendations to assess the best practices, coping mechanisms, and strategies the school heads have employed in bridging learning gaps.