Leading schools during a pandemic and beyond: Insights from principals in the Philippines

The Philippines is one of very few countries in the world where schools have continuously remained closed since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2019. There is little known about how school principals face the challenges that arise from the pandemic, and the future goals for the new normal. The purpose of this article is to explore the school principals’ management practices, leadership styles, challenges encountered, and future goals in response to the pandemic in the context of Philippine schools. This study employed a qualitative research approach using an open-ended online survey with 52 school principals. Findings rendered a contextualisation of their school management practices, leadership styles, challenges encountered during the pandemic, and future goals for the new normal. This study contributes to the knowledge base on school leadership during the pandemic by providing unique insights into the Philippines.