| Summary, etc. |
Abstract <br/><br/>Effective child protection in schools is fundamental to meaningful learner engagement. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the implementation of the Child Protection Policy (CPP) and learners' academic engagement in public elementary schools in a district of the Schools Division of Antique for the School Year 2025-2026. Utilizing a descriptive-comparative and correlational research design, the study involved 109 school heads and teachers and 200 learner-respondents. Data were gathered using two researcher-made instruments: the Implementation of Child Protection Policy Scale and the Academic Engagement Scale. The statistical tools employed were Frequency, Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation, Shapiro-Wilk Test, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis H Test, and Spearman's rho.<br/><br/>The findings revealed that the level of CPP implementation was "very high" across all dimensions: policy awareness, capacity building, reporting systems, policy enforcement, and school environment, regardless of school size, location, training attended, or position.<br/><br/>However, significant differences were observed between respondent types, with administrators rating capability building and reporting systems higher than teachers. Learners' academic engagement was also "very high" across behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions. While no significant differences were found based on sex or family size, significant variations were noted in cognitive engagement based on parents' education and socio-economic status, and in social engagement based on living conditions. Additionally, rural learners demonstrated significantly higher emotional, cognitive, and overall engagement compared to urban learners.<br/><br/>Ultimately, the study established that there is no significant relationship between the implementation of the CPP and learners' academic engagement, suggesting that while CPP ensures a safe environment, it does not directly determine academic engagement. Based on these findings, the "CPP Excellence and Sustainability Program (CPP-ESP)" was proposed to sustain and enhance child protection practices.<br/><br/>Keywords: Child Protection Policy, Academic Engagement, Sustainability Program, Policy Implementation, CPP implementation |