CHILD PROTECT: INTENSIFYING LEARNERS WELFARE AND STUDENTS CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN BANABA WEST INTEGRATED SCHOOL, BATANGAS CITY, PHILIPPINES

Introduction/Purpose: Learners behavioral problems are challenging at all academic levels in schools. To improve the learners behavior using learners welfare and protection method in response to child protection policy, this study determined the level of awareness on the causes of students, learners welfare and protection method to be utilized in reducing students conflicts and its results. Method/ Design: Descriptive research design, quantitative in nature is utilized. Purposive sampling technique was used to identify 61 student-participants who experienced conflicts and dealt with the utmost confidentiality and high ethical consideration. Data were collected from the survey questionnaire, anecdotal records as well as interviews, and observations for data validation. Weighted mean was used in data analysis. Results: The study revealed that there is a very high level of awareness of the causes of students conflict in terms of communication and a high level of awareness in terms of personal and social. The methods used in reducing students conflict through the utilization of Learners Welfare and Protection are staff training, negotiation, collaboration, post negotiation. Discussion/ Implications: The strategies used by teachers in school is found to be effective because before the utilization of learners welfare and protection methods, conflicts occurred frequently among students but after the utilization of learners welfare and protection methods, there is a rare case of conflict recorded by the guidance coordinator. These activities may be proposed to further enhance the implementation of learners welfare and protection process in reducing students conflicts in school are staff meeting, strengthening the utilization of school policy, engage the school in organizing suitable social activities and extracurricular programs and projectsfor parents and community and provide feedback and complaints box to create access to the school authority.