Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis

Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis Peter Romerosa, Ferdinand Lacuata, Maria Teresa Rivera, Maristela Roxas This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7055560/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Rooted in an educational anthropology perspective, this research explores how school principals demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in education during crises. Utilizing a case study approach, the researchers examined how principals implemented PPPs by conducting focus group discussions, interviews, classroom observations, document analysis, and social media observations, as well as chatting through Facebook Messenger. The findings indicated that principals are attuned to external factors such as health crises, government policies, and market conditions, while also factoring in their internal resources and support. This awareness results in the implementation of locally adapted strategies, referred to as “copy-the-correct-answer,” which involve sharing effective marketing techniques to achieve enrollment targets across the school’s campuses. At the macro level, education marketing is strategically utilized to foster relationships with students and parents, thereby creating demand and promoting a positive reputation. In contrast, the micro level emphasizes the integration of marketing across disciplines, aiming to deliver high-quality service through caring relationships and demonstrating teaching competence during the pandemic. Within this framework, entrepreneurial leadership is closely intertwined with instructional leadership. Given the decline in private school enrollment and the ongoing education crisis, there is an urgent need to reconsider intrapreneurial leadership, emphasizing social responsibility and quality instruction within the PPP landscape in education. Entrepreneurial Leadership Appropriation Public-Private Partnership in Education Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 INTRODUCTION The Philippines underwent one of the longest and strictest lockdowns during the first year of the pandemic, known as ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine), to control the spread of COVID-19. Regulations varied based on the number of cases. Schools were closed until the end of 2021, and approximately 800 private schools ceased operations. While some have reopened, 425 have permanently closed. Unlike public school teachers, private school teachers in many developing countries have faced higher job insecurity and salary reductions due to the pandemic (Carvalho & Hares, 2020). Meanwhile, Kanlungan Paaralan (KP), a private non-sectarian school in an urban area operating within the PPP educational framework, pursued a distinct approach. The school experienced a notable surge in enrollment across all its basic education programs in the second year of the pandemic. One contributing factor to this trend was the redefined concept of entrepreneurial leadership, manifested through a robust marketing strategy and diverse promotional initiatives within online and offline communities. Exploring entrepreneurial leadership in implementing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in education, this study investigates how entrepreneurial leadership is demonstrated in implementing PPP amidst the financial difficulties caused by the pandemic in the K-12 education sector. In particular, the paper addresses two inquiries: 1. How do school principals appropriate PPP in education through entrepreneurial leadership? 2. What factors affect the appropriation of PPP by principals during an educational crisis? Following Shore et al. (2011), Levinson et al. ( 2009 ), Wendel & Feldman (2005), and Sutton & Levinson ( 2001 ), education policy is a dynamic arena within the realm of contested political processes. The concept of appropriation acknowledges the pivotal role of individuals directly involved in the policy-making process. Appropriation suggests that various individuals interpret, negotiate, and implement policies that align with their needs and interests (Haman & Rosen, 2011). Based on this theoretical premise, appropriation is employed to examine how school principals comprehend and navigate their entrepreneurial leadership and its power dynamics, structures, and impact within public-private partnership (PPP) educational arrangements. METHODOLOGY This study investigates how a low-cost private school has responded to the economic challenges posed by the pandemic, highlighting the exercise of entrepreneurial leadership within the context of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) educational framework. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon, a case study approach is employed, which necessitates the use of diverse data sources, research tools, and perspectives (Baxter et al., 2003). This methodology allows the researcher to garner insights from the experiences and viewpoints of participants in an objective manner (Harrison et al., 2017). The study involved thirteen principals (basic education elementary and junior high school) as participants. The research employed the focus group discussion (FGD) through Gmeet as a primary data collection strategy. Using the FGD, the researchers engaged in a conversation with the participants from different campuses to unpack the issues and techniques of how entrepreneurial leadership manifests in appropriating the PPP educational framework. To bolster principals’ narratives, the researchers interviewed teachers to validate the impacts of principal entrepreneurial leadership and the marketing plan, using Facebook Messenger and group chats. To supplement the discussion, the researchers also explored online and offline documents such as flyers, online postings, announcements, and policies. Some information was accessed through lurking or informal observations of social media posts by the participants. The Ideology of Public-Private Partnership in Education (PPP) and the Impacts of the Pandemic on Low-Cost Private Schools The Expanded Program on Public-Private Partnerships (ePPP) was extended to include developing countries from Western developed regions to tackle issues related to equity and quality in education. This included the Philippine government outsourcing private schools to implement the Senior High School Program as part of the K-12 educational reform in 2013. This educational initiative emphasized market-oriented strategies to attract students from public schools to enroll in private institutions. The Philippine Government introduced the Private Partnership in Education (PPP) through the Senior High School Program (SHSP) voucher scheme in 2016. PPP involves a collaboration between the government and private educational institutions. The government provides policy guidelines and funding, while private schools deliver educational services to students (Robertson et al., 2012 ; Verger, 2012 ; Patrinos et al., 2008). Through PPP, families can choose a private school that best suits their children's needs and interests, especially those with limited access to quality education (Yoon & Lubienski, 2017). PPP in education, also known as school choice internationally, is based on the ideology of neoliberal education, which sees privatization and competition as the best means to enhance educational services (Termes, 2019; Verger, 2012 ; Campbell et al., 2009; Robertson et al., 2009; Patrinos, 2009 ; Klees, 2008). The past three decades have sparked intense debates about school choice globally, with sharply divided views on its objectives and results. Supporters such as Chubb & Moe (1990), Friedman (1955), the OECD ( 2017 ), the World Bank ( 2009 ), and proponents of neoliberal ideology argue that voucher policies can help address inequality, promote parental engagement, and enhance the quality of education. This perspective suggests that privatization through ePPP represents a practical and efficient alternative to delivering public education, a concept pioneered in the US, Australia, England and Wales, Sweden, and New Zealand (Whitty et al., 1998). This approach currently dominates education systems in OECD countries (OECD, 2017 ; Verger, 2012 ) and has gained support and promotion from the United Nations through its affiliated agencies such as the World Bank, IFC, OECD, and WTO, as a key component of the 2015 Millennium Goals, particularly for the development of low-income UN member nations (Mundy & Menashy, 2012). On the other hand, most critics stemmed from educational sociologists, namely: Termes et al. ( 2019 ), Windle ( 2015 ), Verger ( 2012 ), Ball (2008), and Witty (2002), cluster their analyses around the relationship between neoliberalism and education and its tendencies to exacerbate social inequalities in education (Waslander, 2010). To date, increasing studies on the voucher policy seek alternatives to improve its implementation worldwide, creating different interpretations and impacts of school choice in other education systems outside the Western regions, particularly in developing and poor-income countries, like the Philippines. Nevertheless, because ePPPs are perceived as a cost-efficient strategy to achieve quality education, they were adopted by low-income countries, where governments face the dilemma of increasing access to education while limiting public spending (Robertson et al., 2012 ). In the Philippines, PPP has been widely implemented primarily through the Education Service Contracting (ESC) targeted voucher for Junior High Schools (formerly known as first-year to fourth-year high schools under the Basic Education Curriculum). In their study on the development of the dynamics of school choice in the Philippines, Termes et al. ( 2019 ) employed sociological lenses to examine how schools responded to the voucher system and patterns of choice among families. The results showed that despite the pro-poor rhetoric of school choice, the voucher has led to different ways of school choice among families and to an array of school responses. Both of these factors have accentuated social inequalities in schools. However, on a global scale, the pandemic severely and mainly affected Low-Cost Private Schools (LCPS). UNESCO defines LCPS as any school that is not operated by the government but is controlled and managed, whether for profit or not, by a private body (e.g., community, foundation, faith-based organization, NGO, private proprietor, private enterprise, or school under ePPP (Alam & Tiwari, 2021 , p. 2). The impacts of the pandemic on LCPS under ePPP resulted in significant financial losses, and teachers were reported losing their jobs, having their salaries cut, or not being paid at all (Alam & Tiwari, 2021 ). The market disruptions pose significant risks to the families at the bottom of the pyramid, with children more likely to attend LCPS than high-fee private schools. Evidence from past crises and recent reports strongly suggests that personal school enrolments will decline substantially, with some students migrating to public schools and others delaying entry or dropping out (ibid). Addressing the issue of enrollment decline or sustaining market operations requires a strategic economic plan and innovative school leadership focusing on entrepreneurial leadership. In the first year of the pandemic, private schools experienced financial losses due to a significant decrease in enrollment, leading to bankruptcy. However, in the second year of the crisis, notable increase in enrollment was seen. It is in this context that the researchers have focused their attention on revealing how entrepreneurial leadership among principals contributes to the successful implementation of strategies leading to increased enrollment, consequently redefining entrepreneurial leadership. Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership The pandemic requires leadership competencies that respond to its potential destructive effects. Current literature on educational leadership amid the pandemic reflects the following leadership roles and characteristics of an academic leader: visionary (Settles et al., 2019), emotionally agile (Koehn, 2020; Schwantes,2020; Dirani et al., 2020 ), caring (Cahapay, 2022 ); flexible (Schwantes, 2020; Caminiti, 2020 ) innovator, sense maker, technological adept and enhancer ( Cahapay, 2022 ; Dirani et al., 2020 ), goal and strategy setter, motivator, collaborator, provider of a team the autonomy to assume the responsibility of their own decisions (Cahapay, 2022 ; Fernandez & Shaw, 2020 ). These leadership qualities encompass academic, technological, socio-emotional, and inclusive aspects. However, school principals are seen deficient of these leadership qualities. Fundamentally, school principals are observed to have limited understanding of how they must respond to crises. Such deficiency resulted into the decline of enrollment in LCPS. Hence, educational administrators and leaders must showcase pedagogical expertise while demonstrating skills in entrepreneurship to keep school enrollment afloat (Alam & Tiwari, 2021 ). Entrepreneurial leadership fosters and propels innovation. Leaders actively scan their external environments to identify opportunities and innovative solutions to complex educational challenges (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., & Pashiardis, P., 2020 ). In doing so, they form coalitions with entities that could potentially support a more efficient and effective execution of the school’s aims and objectives (ibid). Entrepreneurial leadership entails resource allocation, coordination of interdisciplinary tasks, and establishment of network structures (Weick & Sutcliffe, 2015). Thus, the key attributes of entrepreneurial leaders include the ability to observe, comprehend, and act in response to their environment leading to the identification of opportunities before they become apparent to others. They promptly respond innovatively and creatively based on their perception of these opportunities (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., & Pashiardis, P., 2020 ). Critics argue that emphasizing the business aspects of educational leadership could exacerbate equity issues. They point out that prioritizing market-driven approaches may result in conflicting educational goals, leading to the categorization of schools as winners and losers. This, in turn, could unnecessarily fuel competition among schools and foster antagonistic relationships (Verger, 2012 ). The primary issue is connecting business and profit to quality and fairness in education. Scholars propose a new form of entrepreneurial leadership called edupreneurship , which integrates pedagogical business thinking. Implementing this concept within the education sector could help develop leadership strategies that promote equity and efficiency in education, free from stringent austerity-driven New Public Management ideologies (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., & Pashiardis, P., 2020 ). Given the risk of potential closure and declining enrollment facing LPCS in the coming years, there is a call for entrepreneurial leadership. Additionally, a research suggests that it is essential to examine the outcomes of entrepreneurial leadership that could improve organizational performance during the pandemic (Bilal et al., 2021). Historical data and recent reports indicate a significant decline in private school enrollments, with some students transferring to public schools and others postponing or discontinuing their education (ibid). This market disruption poses substantial risks for families at the lower end of the economic spectrum, as children from these families are more likely to attend LPCS than higher-fee private schools. A strategic economic plan and innovative school leadership will be necessary to address the decline in enrollment and sustain operations. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The first theme, Exercising Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Appropriation of PPP Amid an Educational Crisis , answers research question 1: How do school principals exercise entrepreneurial leadership in appropriating ePPP amid an educational crisis? Appropriating the ePPP Amid an Educational Crisis through Entrepreneurial Leadership PPP in education amid a crisis is appropriated through principal entrepreneurial leadership by deploying copy-the-correct-answer marketing strategies. To provide a background, the decline in enrollment from SY 2019 to 2020 and the increase in enrollment from 2020 to 2021 are presented below. An issue regarding the enrollment decline was determined to provide a context on how entrepreneurial leadership was exercised in creating marketing strategies. In this context, entrepreneurial leadership aims to achieve the desired enrollment quota. Table 1 below illustrates that enrollment decreased slightly from SY 2019–2020 to SY2020-2021. Table 1 Enrollment decline from SY 2019–2020 to SY 2020–2021 in all KP branches Program SY 2019–2020 SY 2020–2021 Pre-school and Elementary 1 688 1 055 Junior High School 4 282 3 651 Senior High School 27 822 26 601 Total 33 792 31 307 Before the pandemic, there was a surge in the number of students who registered online and confirmed their registration before and during the first month of the lockdown in April 2020. The economic implications of the lockdown among families, such as temporary unemployment or job loss and confinement in the provinces due to travel restrictions, were strongly felt in the succeeding months. These factors influenced family decisions about enrollment and schooling. For example, paying students from the elementary to the college level migrated to public schools. In contrast, non-paying students like the SHS students opted to attend schools that were geographically more accessible and financially constraining (Quality Assurance Office and Research Publications Department Report, 2020). Table 2 Enrollment increase from SY 2020–2021 to SY 2021–2022 in all KP branches Program SY 2020–2021 SY 2021–2022 Pre-school and Elementary 1 055 1 337 Junior High School 3 651 5 333 Senior High School 26 601 40 733 Total 31 307 47 403 On the other hand, Table 2 shows that the enrollment from SY 2020–2021 to SY 2021–2022 increased significantly. Principals attribute the enrollment increase to entrepreneurial leadership, deploying their local notions of marketing strategies or copy-the-correct-answer strategies to meet the enrollment quota. Deploying the correct-answer strategies Principals refer to "copying the correct answer" to share each other’s most effective on-the-ground marketing strategies. The University President coined the term to share best practices in implementing marketing strategies. Principals have employed the "copy-the-correct-answer" strategy to meet their enrollment targets. Copying the correct answer involves the following emerging and thriving marketing strategies shared by different KP campuses. 1. Creating the Thursday Group Meeting . Every Thursday, principals, assistant principals, assistant vice presidents (campus or branch heads), and the vice president for academic affairs gather online to meet with the KP’s chairman/president. During these meetings, each principal updates daily enrollment progress, discusses enrollment challenges, and proposes solutions. These meetings address enrollment issues, such as student attrition, and share successful experiences and strategies for meeting enrollment targets. Principal 1 mentioned that during these meetings, they receive guidance from senior school officials and peers on achieving enrollment targets and addressing issues related to enrollment quotas. This allows them to stay informed and acquire marketing knowledge and skills from industry professionals. In the meeting, the department receives a black mark when it hits the quota or a red mark when it fails to meet the daily target. The principal justifies a red mark. Receiving a red mark is uncomfortable for the principal, vice principal, and assistant vice president of a campus or branch. To avoid this, they intensify their marketing strategies. The campus or department extends the copy-the-correct-answer practices by (1) expanding the radius of a potential market, sinusuyod ang lahat (visit all schools; (2) posting promotions at the city's public information office, and (3) giving more incentives or tokens to barangay officials or community people who invited more enrollees. Surprisingly, the principals deploy the word diskarte to express how they creatively stretch or maximize their resources in executing marketing strategies. Diskarte here means exploring possible ways to meet the quota and accountability measures. The pressure is more remarkable for the SHS department than for the JHS and elementary departments due to the bigger quotas. The SHS department capitalizes on the voucher system in its marketing plan to hit its quota. Since promotions usually occur online, particularly during the pandemic, principals received social media management training to manage online marketing activities. They underwent annual strategic planning activities aimed at hitting the target quota. New forms of marketing knowledge are acquired, allowing principals and teachers to innovate (Cahapay, 2022 ; Dirani et al., 2020 ), and market students on social media platforms. The marketing activities will be discussed in the succeeding sections. 2. Telemarketing . Telemarketing involves directly selling products through phone calls or emails. A telemarketer (support staff, faculty, guidance counselor) is in charge of doing the following: 1. facilitates enrollment inquiries; 2. distributes registration forms and schedule of fees; 3. makes calls and follow-ups to encourage current students to stay and enroll in the program; 4. promotes marketing strategies (free modem, free textbook, bring a friend, lock-in enrollment scheme); and 5. persuades those who transferred to other schools (mostly public schools) to return to KP and avail of the lock-in enrollment scheme. This scheme is introduced to potential preschool and elementary clients. It offers to decrease monthly fees to no fees in SHS. Students can avail of the scheme from pre-kinder to SHS when they stay in primary education. Erna, a telemarketer in the elementary department who also worked as a guidance counselor, emphasized the effectiveness of follow-up calls for recruiting new students and gaining insight into their family situations. Throughout the pandemic, she observed that many of their former students had transferred to public schools due to various reasons, such as the breadwinners of their families losing their jobs, being laid off, experiencing salary reductions, or dealing with illness or death in the family, which led to significant financial strain. As a guidance counselor, she could use follow-ups to listen to stories and provide emotional comfort. She emphasized that beyond marketing, empathizing with families and providing emotional support was a moral duty. She expressed that sentiment, and I came to understand the significance of education within every family, highlighting the notion that ensuring quality education, including enrolling children in reputable schools, is a fundamental ethical responsibility of parents, symbolizing good parenthood . Nevertheless, the financial impact of the pandemic has tested parents' ability to offer their children a high-quality education. Erna noticed that once families had overcome financial constraints, they re-enrolled their children in KP. The accounts highlight that families select a school where they feel a sense of belonging and connection when presented with adequate economic prospects. Three parents expressed their intention to return to KP once their financial situation improves, emphasizing the strong rapport they have built with KP and its teachers and the relationships formed with other parents–a problematic bond to part with. 3. Tapping Community/barangay partners. Principals emphasize the importance of building solid relationships with community leaders and residents for successful community campaigns. Marketing efforts, community outreach, and engagement programs achieve a positive school-community relationship. These programs include health initiatives, educational programs, and environmental clean-up drives. Additionally, KP typically has a formal agreement with the communities or barangays that receive these programs, making it easier to conduct marketing activities in those areas. Marketing activities within the barangay involve engaging with barangay officials and community people. These activities include distributing flyers and displaying promotional banners in key locations across the barangay, public schools with junior high school programs, public utility tricycles, and faculty residences. 4. Bringing a friend. There is a common understanding that when a parent enrolls a new student in the program, they effectively recruit a potential client by bringing a friend. In return, the recruiter receives 130GB worth of Modem data for each recruited student. A school principal mentioned prioritizing providing high-quality instruction and care to parents and their children to attract new enrollees. Teachers must demonstrate competence and empathy towards students and parents to earn their trust. For instance, Teacher Lisa established an additional class based in Dubai to accommodate parents’ requests. In order to meet the demand, the preschool class size was increased to 15 students. Parents in Dubai actively recruited new enrollees to reach the maximum class size. The class size deviated from the initially requested standard of 9 students. Subsequently, Teacher Lisa received a message from a parent in Dubai (whom she assumed was the group leader) expressing gratitude because her child was enjoying the program. She then requested to enroll another student, her friend's child, and Teacher Lisa agreed despite the more extensive and challenging class. She takes pride in the trust she has earned from her parents. The principal also expressed satisfaction with the situation. Teacher Lisa described her experience as " Mula sa kaba napalitan ng saya " (from worry to joy). It signifies that worry is replaced by joy when confidence and teacher authority are established. The principal emphasized that entrepreneurial leadership often requires surpassing the expectations outlined in the marketing plan. 5. Digital posting. Digital posting involves sharing promotional videos, school activities, announcements, and quotes to promote the school and encourage engagement. For instance, events like the awarding of honors and graduation generate various forms of interaction, such as likes, emoticons, and comments. Typically, comments are positive, congratulating the student on their academic achievement and acknowledging their family's role in their success. Although social media, especially Facebook, has seen an influx of negative comments expressing concerns about social issues, it has also become a platform for families to share success stories and find joy and pride. In the Philippines, families celebrate academic achievements by displaying tarpaulins that showcase their family members' accomplishments, such as completing a degree, earning honors, or passing board examinations. These displays are often placed in prominent locations within both rural and urban poor communities. Additionally, with the rise of the internet, academic achievements are often shared on social media platforms, featuring certificates, congratulatory messages, awards, and grades. KP capitalized on this trend by celebrating family academic achievements and reinforcing that KP is part of every family’s academic success. However, unnecessary online posting of private information (i.e., school records) and excessive achievement showcases violate data privacy issues and perpetuate a culture of meritocracy. KP is challenged to address these ethical and social issues and uphold its moral standards as an educational institution. The SHS department utilizes the online environment for digital games as a marketing strategy, as Principal 3 mentioned. By engaging students in digital games such as Mobile Legend and Call of Duty tournaments, the department aims to attract students to enroll in a KP branch. Upon registration, students can join the class FB page or group chat and participate in various online games and activities. These tournaments allow teams of students to compete for prizes, serving as a way for the school to connect with students, understand their interests, and build trust. 6. Quality Instruction and Care. The senior high school program operates within the voucher program under the ePPP educational arrangement. The elementary program does not work with a voucher program, meaning families pay school fees from their pockets. It is crucial to note that while both programs have different target markets, both are engaged in marketing strategies, as discussed in the previous section. However, another interpretation of entrepreneurial leadership reflects appropriation, emphasizing the pivotal roles of individuals, particularly principals and teachers, as they interpret intrapreneurial leadership through their negotiated practice (Wendel & Feldman, 2005; Levinson et al.,2009; Shore et al., 2011; Haman & Rosen, 2011). S ince the voucher system is unavailable in grade school, the elementary department capitalizes on quality instruction to promote its program and hit its quota. Such a context allows the elementary to reinforce teaching, yielding positive learning outcomes and keeping positive engagement with parents. Principal 2 said that if the learning outcomes are positive, parents are motivated to enroll their children in MP. Teacher 2 said I am trying to teach my students and establish a good relationship with them and their parents. Enrolling a child in the program implies the affirmation of the quality of service. As we all know, parents select the school for their children in their primary years. Likewise, students who feel comfortable or trust us can influence their parents' decisions . Thus, instead of engaging directly in marketing activities, Teacher 1 taps parents to market the program. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing strategy; if the parent is satisfied, their satisfaction can be circulated within their network. Elementary principal 1 reinforces the above narratives. She expressed that in a crisis, the best capital is a partnership; within our environment, we capitalized on our relationship to support each other emotionally and cognitively (in terms of sharing ICT knowledge and learning materials). Outside the learning setting, we extend our resources to parents, and they, too, communicate with us their trust so that we can develop a partnership, allowing us to transcend a difficult situation. So, these families never choose other schools. If they left us during the pandemic, that was because of the financial constraint. However, they returned to us as soon as they recovered financially. Capitalizing on a partnership built on care and quality teaching is our best service, particularly amid a crisis. Moreover, digital promotions such as family and alumni testimonials complement and enhance quality instruction and care capitalization. It is crucial to note that marketing strategies target families and parents because, in grade school, parents are the ones who decide on the school for their children. The family testimonials include narratives of how the families are cared for, making them feel KP is an extension of their immediate family. The given family testimonial narrative encapsulates a sense of family belongingness. We feel we belong at KP. The teacher and the management have been our partners in providing affordable, quality education and family values such as respect for others, kindness, diligence, and care that our children need to succeed. (See more discussion in the next section). Out of 113 parents surveyed, 70 described their relationship with the school and teachers as excellent, 60 as very good, and three as good. The teachers' qualities, including their responsiveness, approachability, care, guidance, accommodation, patience, and competence in The results indicate that teachers' qualities can be divided into two categories: socio-relational values or character (responsiveness, approachability, care, guidance, accommodation, patience) and competence in teaching (ability to explain lessons well). While both categories are essential, socio-relational values are more likely to engender parents' trust and satisfaction. Interestingly, socio-emotional qualities are associated with customer service qualities, viewing teachers as work personnel who immediately respond to a client’s needs. A teacher uttered, at the outset of the pandemic, we felt that the life-work boundary was blurred. We were compelled to respond to parents’ queries late at night. The data suggest that families are considered significant stakeholders, and trust in school is achieved when care and quality instruction are sustained. Creating alumni and family testimonials as a marketing strategy supports this resource and the parent-teacher relationship. The on-the-ground practice reverberates the concept of edupreneurship , emphasizing that private education balances profit and fairness. Implementing this concept within the education sector could help develop leadership strategies that promote equity and efficiency in education, free from stringent austerity-driven New Public Management ideologies (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., & Pashiardis, P., 2020 ). 7. Alumni and family testimonials : The principals leveraged alumni and family testimonials as a powerful marketing tool, tapping into the school-parent partnership as a valuable resource. Alumni and family testimonials are brief accounts of success stories, expressions of gratitude toward the school, and impactful school experiences shared by KP alumni and their families. These testimonials are accessible through the institution's official Facebook page. Across all campuses, it is evident that many individuals choose to attend KP based on a family tradition. Numerous families have at least one member (a grandparent, parent, sibling, or relative) who graduated from KP. Upholding a school family tradition gives students and their families a strong sense of belonging, identity, and familiarity. Her book Unequal Childhoods (Lareau, 2011) explores how middle-class parents engage in concerted cultivation, whether black or white. This parenting style is marked by parents’ attempts to cultivate their children’s talents and skills by incorporating organized activities into their lives. In contrast, working-class and poor families rely on the accomplishment of natural growth, in which a child’s development unfolds spontaneously -if basic comfort, food, and shelter are provided. These approaches to childrearing provide an understanding that home contexts and parenting practices vis a vis school participation and school selection patterns reflect a system tied to social identity. A seasoned principal emphasized the significance of nurturing and utilizing the strong familial bonds between school members and the families they serve. By functioning as a cohesive family unit, we can maintain trust in our relationships, even in the face of challenges brought about by the pandemic. This trust enables us to support one another through uncertainty. During the transitional period, characterized by heightened social, financial, and psychological challenges, we upheld our faith in each other and utilized it to overcome these obstacles. The principal's account highlights the significance of relationships as a valuable asset. It emphasizes the interdependence between the school community and parents during the crisis, fostering generational ties. Families select KP as their children's school, preserving their traditions and identities, including their socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. 8. Developing a sense of urgency . Entrepreneurial leadership involves having a sense of urgency or the ability to respond swiftly to evolving external conditions. This includes adjusting marketing strategies and organizational procedures in light of changing government regulations and market competition. For example, there is a growing trend of private schools providing senior high school education with no top-up or beyond the existing amount of the voucher, along with additional perks such as free uniforms. Some public schools give monthly allowances to students. These trends have intensified competition in the sector. In this light, KP explored other creative marketing strategies to stay relevant and competitive. Table 3 Various articulations of urgency as a manifestation of entrepreneurial leadership amid a crisis. Principal Articulations of Urgency from Principals’ Perspectives 1 The leadership has broadened in terms of scope and responsibilities. You cannot be lax. You need to be innovative and develop marketing skills. It would be best to have a sense of urgency because things change abruptly. 2 There is a very strong market competition among private school SHS providers. We managed to be the first to create a strategy. To increase our enrollment, maximize our radius, and even go beyond it. We bring with us all marketing strategies to attract the potential market. We visited provinces and places with less competition and created a market there. 2 Having a sense of urgency means making a quick decision informed by the expectations of external environment (DepEd and PEAC policies, school competitions’ regarding attracting enrollees, and community linkages) and internal environment (institutional resources) and how these resources and relationships are used to strategize and meet the target quota. 4 Sensitive to the needs of our stakeholders. Your market is families, not individual students, so you must be sensitive to their situations. We provided various learning modalities to fit students’ and their families’ resources. We provided air-conditioned face-to-face classrooms and ensured students experienced work immersion with our partner industries. 5 We remain visible on the ground or in communities and establish relationships with community people because they also help campaign for us. Most of our students have a family enrollment history with us . The statements above emphasize the growing significance of entrepreneurial leadership in the role of private school principals, leaving them vulnerable to external pressures and market demands. Principal 6, a senior high school principal, shared insights on how acquiring new marketing knowledge and skills has become crucial for ensuring the school's operational sustainability. However, this new role has also brought about tension, prompting me to question my fundamental responsibility of ensuring quality instruction in my department. Factors Mediating Entrepreneurial Leadership Several contextual factors mediate the exercise of intrapreneurial leadership in the appropriation of ePPP amid an education crisis. These are the market and the pandemic, social media management as a marketing strategy, and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) and the Quality Assurance Team (QUAT). The market and the pandemic had a significant impact . When the pandemic started in March 2020, the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of schools posed a serious threat to school operations. It caused anxieties about unemployment, job loss, and the risk of COVID-19 infection. Despite the crisis, KP managed to retain all its employees, especially the teaching staff. To maintain operational viability, KP implemented a reduced work schedule and labor furlough for some support staff and focused on innovative marketing strategies to raise funds, with social media management as a key initiative. Social Media Management (SMM) is essential to KP’s marketing strategies . KP creatively develops, monitors, and promotes social media content through SMM across various digital platforms. KP’s SMM focuses on identity branding, emphasizing affordable education options for those facing financial difficulties. This includes flexible enrollment, online and printed learning modalities, and exceptional care for students and their families. MP utilizes its official institutional Facebook Page and individual campus pages to engage the community and inform them about various marketing promotions and activities. Activities that generate the most social engagement revolve around mental health campaigns, relatable and emotional life messages, extracurricular events such as dance contests and concerts, and important milestones like graduations and sports achievements. Additionally, MP offers marketing promotions for paying students from preschool, elementary, and junior high school, which include discounted tuition fees, reasonable payment plans, free textbooks, and internet modems. For non-paying students, senior high school, principals, and the economic team collaborate with the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) to provide support. The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) was established to oversee the Senior High School voucher program under the e-GASTPE. Its primary role is facilitating financial aid through the voucher program for Grade 10 completers; most attend public schools and intend to pursue Grades 11 and 12 in a private school or the senior high school program. Additionally, the committee monitors and supervises participating schools and ensures that students under the e-GASTPE complete the Senior High School Program successfully. The Philippine Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) is a five-member committee that functions as the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) trustee, a permanent and irrevocable trust fund. The committee is chaired by the Secretary of Education, with a representative from NEDA and members from the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU), and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) ( https://peac.org.ph/about-peac/ ). Last school year, 2018–2019, PEAC processed the billing statements of 4,432 schools, covering 1,282,622 beneficiaries who received vouchers totaling Php22.18 billion in the Philippines. PEAC also conducts assessments of participating schools in ePPP through commissioned research to further improve SHS implementation. Likewise, it undertakes In-Service Training (INSET)to help demonstrators and teachers implement the K-12 reform. In response to PEAC, KP initiated an open enrollment for grade 10 completers, regardless of their chosen strands, and provided assistance with their requirements. As previously mentioned, administrators, particularly principals, utilized marketing strategies to encourage these students to enroll in MP. However, the most prevalent issue is attrition, where students drop out or are unable to complete the required academic calendar days. Various factors contribute to attrition, including: Students choose to remain in public schools due to financial constraints, such as insufficient budget for transportation, meals, and school projects. Students opt to work to support their families. Students select schools that offer appealing incentives, such as an additional allowance of 2,000 Php, or approximately 40 US dollars, upon enrollment. High attrition rates affect the school’s income and leave it with a negative image from stakeholders, particularly the PEAC. To address attrition, teachers constantly monitor students’ attendance, establish regular communication with students and their families, and motivate students to finish their studies. While entrepreneurial management is an inevitable aspect of principal leadership to sustain school operations and leverage the demands of the market and government stakeholders, instructional leadership also needs to be strengthened. In this regard, MP, through the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, created the Quality Assurance Team (QUAT) with the following duties: 1. conduct assessments on instructional delivery, 2. recommend instructional interventions and create and implement instructional innovations to ensure quality education in the SHS program. The Quality Assurance Team (QUAT) was formed last School Year, 2016–2017, when KP pioneered the SHS program. The emerging possibilities for enhancing quality assurance in educational systems seem to encourage closer collaboration between education and business expertise. This collaboration aims to develop effective problem-solving strategies for educational institutions, including schools (Heinrich & Kohlstock, 2016). The Quality Assurance Team (QUAT) consists of the Quality Assurance Director as chair, the Research Director as vice chair, and the Director for Basic Education and Assistant Vice President (of one of MP's campuses), with the Vice President for Academic Affairs serving as a consultant. The primary function of the QUAT is to ensure that quality instruction is in place amid the changing shift of leadership roles towards entrepreneurial management within ePPP. The newly created SHS program under the K-12 law in 2013 inevitably required hiring a new workforce, particularly teachers and other academic heads, urging MP to make instructional reforms through the QUAT and counterbalance the impacts of entrepreneurial management. The QUAT conducts an effective internal review of the SHS program, specifically focusing on mentoring teachers by encouraging support of the academic community (principals, assistant principals, subject coordinators, tertiary program chairs, and AVPs) through the Instructional Mentoring Program (IMP). The IMP intends to increase the teaching or instructional competencies of academic actors, particularly teachers and subject coordinators, in the following areas: content, pedagogy, assessment, socioemotional dimension, and research by integrating a multi-disciplinary, research-based and participatory approach to mentoring and coaching; and identifying issues, best practices (strategies and alternatives), and recommendations for future teacher training, curricular enhancements, and policy developments. Conclusion During a crisis, principals’ appropriation of ePPP through entrepreneurial leadership in education involves effectively utilizing available resources and opportunities to ensure that quality instruction is maintained while meeting enrollment targets to sustain the institution. Principals employ various strategies such as telemarketing, community campaigns, social media management, leveraging teacher and alumni testimonials, offering incentives, and emphasizing quality education and support to achieve these goals. These principles were acquired, communicated, and strengthened during the Thursday meetings, during which entrepreneurial guidance was provided between senior technocratic leaders and middle management (principals and assistant principals). Various factors influence the adoption of ePPP through entrepreneurial leadership, including the pandemic, expertise in social media management, the skill to assess the external environment and utilize stakeholders, and forging external partnerships, responding to the demands of government agencies, the ability to utilize internal resources to mitigate the negative effects of the market. Entrepreneurial leadership was robust in the SHS under the framework of ePPP, empowering principals to leverage marketing strategies to meet and boost enrollment. However, entrepreneurial leadership was more subtle in the elementary department, enabling elementary principals and teachers to leverage nurturing relationships and teaching expertise to maintain their enrollment. In this context, entrepreneurial leadership is closely tied to instructional leadership, rooted in the relational nature of leadership. Therefore, as the education crisis intensifies entrepreneurial leadership, refining entrepreneurial management could involve reemphasizing instructional leadership that focuses on care and competence. Declarations Acknowledgments If there is any acknowledgment that the authors would like to mention, please mention it here. Declaration of Ownership This article is our original work. Conflict of Interest There is no conflict of interest to declare in this article. Ethical Clearance The institution approved this study. Funding Declaration in the manuscript: To be funded by the Research Publications Department Clinical Trial Number in the manuscript: not Applicable Consent to Publish declaration: not applicable Consent to Participate declaration: not applicable. Ethics declaration: not applicable Data Availability Declaration The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available because the university’s Quality Assurance office officially owns them, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Ethical approval The manuscript was reviewed and approved by the institution’s Ethics Review Board(ERB) Committee, spearheaded by Dr. Remedious L. Fernandez as the acting Chairman. Moreover, the AU-ERB is accredited by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB). Based on the existing Standard Operating (SOP) of the AU_ERB Manual, the AU ERB is an Independent body whose responsibility is to: (1) ensure the protection of the rights, safety, and well-being of human subjects involved in health-related research, and (2) provide public assurance of that protection. Informed consent The study, "Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis," observes confidentiality of information provided by all participants and ensures that their participation was voluntary. All participants were interviewed, consenting adults, and assured that their involvement and input would contribute to policy enhancements. This research employs a qualitative case study approach, utilizing interviews, document analysis, and observations as data collection methods. Thus, experiments involving human participants were not relevant to this study. Confidentiality All information you provide will be kept confidential. Your name will not be used in any reports or publications. Data will be stored securely, and only the researchers will have access to it. Voluntary Participation Your participation is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to answer any question or withdraw from the study at any time without penalty or loss of benefits. Consent to participate All information collected was maintained in strict confidentiality and utilized exclusively for research purposes. Each participant has granted their consent to participate under the oversight of the Research Publications Office and the Quality Assurance Office, which has led the study. Consent to publish We hereby grant our consent for the publication of this article in both print and electronic formats. We affirm that the article does not infringe upon any copyright or proprietary rights belonging to others. References Alam A, Tiwari P. 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Policy as a Practice of Power. Toward a Comparative Sociocultural Analysis of Educational Policy. London: Ablex Publishing; 2001. Termes, et al. The Development and Dynamics of Public–Private Partnerships in the Philippines’ Education: A Counterintuitive Case of School Choice, Competition, and Privatization. Educational Policy. UK: Sage 1 – 27; 2019. doi.org/10.1177/0895904819886323 . Verger A. Framing and selling global education policy: The promotion of public-private partnerships for education in low-income contexts. J Educ Policy. 2012;27(1):109–30. Verger & Robertson. The GATS game-changer: International trade regulation and the constitution of a global education marketplace. In: Robertson, editor. Public-private partnerships in education. London, England: Edward Elgar; 2012. pp. 104–27. Wedel J, Feldman G. (2005). Why an anthropology of public policy? Anthropology Today. Vol. 21. Windle J. Making Sense of School Choice Politics, Policies, and Practice under Conditions of Cultural Diversity. New York: Palgrave Macmillan; 2015. World Bank. Education Year in Review. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2009. World Bank. Philippines: Private provision, public purpose. Washington, DC: Author; 2011. Four hundred twenty-five private schools have closed. since 2020. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/20/2203802/425-private-schools-closed-2020- Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":825641,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSurvey on Parents’ Views on Parent-Teacher Partnership\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7055560/v1/dddba96c9b0037763684c428.jpeg"},{"id":94623349,"identity":"a74da061-d6b7-44c5-9122-ae827d4c1239","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-29 04:19:05","extension":"jpeg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1185086,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eFamily Testimonial\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7055560/v1/32af010759776092bb5199b2.jpeg"},{"id":94640579,"identity":"144edc47-b2bc-43e2-bca8-fdc441783efa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-29 07:49:52","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2740448,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7055560/v1/6225f4c1-7de3-4cb4-ba8b-e676b0f16ead.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Philippines underwent one of the longest and strictest lockdowns during the first year of the pandemic, known as ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine), to control the spread of COVID-19. Regulations varied based on the number of cases. Schools were closed until the end of 2021, and approximately 800 private schools ceased operations. While some have reopened, 425 have permanently closed. Unlike public school teachers, private school teachers in many developing countries have faced higher job insecurity and salary reductions due to the pandemic (Carvalho \u0026amp; Hares, 2020).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, \u003cem\u003eKanlungan Paaralan\u003c/em\u003e (KP), a private non-sectarian school in an urban area operating within the PPP educational framework, pursued a distinct approach. The school experienced a notable surge in enrollment across all its basic education programs in the second year of the pandemic. One contributing factor to this trend was the redefined concept of entrepreneurial leadership, manifested through a robust marketing strategy and diverse promotional initiatives within online and offline communities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExploring entrepreneurial leadership in implementing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in education, this study investigates how entrepreneurial leadership is demonstrated in implementing PPP amidst the financial difficulties caused by the pandemic in the K-12 education sector. In particular, the paper addresses two inquiries: 1. How do school principals appropriate PPP in education through entrepreneurial leadership? 2. What factors affect the appropriation of PPP by principals during an educational crisis?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFollowing Shore et al. (2011), Levinson et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), Wendel \u0026amp; Feldman (2005), and Sutton \u0026amp; Levinson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e), education policy is a dynamic arena within the realm of contested political processes. The concept of appropriation acknowledges the pivotal role of individuals directly involved in the policy-making process. Appropriation suggests that various individuals interpret, negotiate, and implement policies that align with their needs and interests (Haman \u0026amp; Rosen, 2011). Based on this theoretical premise, appropriation is employed to examine how school principals comprehend and navigate their entrepreneurial leadership and its power dynamics, structures, and impact within public-private partnership (PPP) educational arrangements.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODOLOGY","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study investigates how a low-cost private school has responded to the economic challenges posed by the pandemic, highlighting the exercise of entrepreneurial leadership within the context of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) educational framework. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon, a case study approach is employed, which necessitates the use of diverse data sources, research tools, and perspectives (Baxter et al., 2003). This methodology allows the researcher to garner insights from the experiences and viewpoints of participants in an objective manner (Harrison et al., 2017).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study involved thirteen principals (basic education elementary and junior high school) as participants. The research employed the focus group discussion (FGD) through Gmeet as a primary data collection strategy. Using the FGD, the researchers engaged in a conversation with the participants from different campuses to unpack the issues and techniques of how entrepreneurial leadership manifests in appropriating the PPP educational framework. To bolster principals\u0026rsquo; narratives, the researchers interviewed teachers to validate the impacts of principal entrepreneurial leadership and the marketing plan, using Facebook Messenger and group chats. To supplement the discussion, the researchers also explored online and offline documents such as flyers, online postings, announcements, and policies. Some information was accessed through lurking or informal observations of social media posts by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Ideology of Public-Private Partnership in Education (PPP) and the Impacts of the Pandemic on Low-Cost Private Schools\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Expanded Program on Public-Private Partnerships (ePPP) was extended to include developing countries from Western developed regions to tackle issues related to equity and quality in education. This included the Philippine government outsourcing private schools to implement the Senior High School Program as part of the K-12 educational reform in 2013. This educational initiative emphasized market-oriented strategies to attract students from public schools to enroll in private institutions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Philippine Government introduced the Private Partnership in Education (PPP) through the Senior High School Program (SHSP) voucher scheme in 2016. PPP involves a collaboration between the government and private educational institutions. The government provides policy guidelines and funding, while private schools deliver educational services to students (Robertson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Verger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Patrinos et al., 2008). Through PPP, families can choose a private school that best suits their children's needs and interests, especially those with limited access to quality education (Yoon \u0026amp; Lubienski, 2017). PPP in education, also known as school choice internationally, is based on the ideology of neoliberal education, which sees privatization and competition as the best means to enhance educational services (Termes, 2019; Verger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Campbell et al., 2009; Robertson et al., 2009; Patrinos, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Klees, 2008).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe past three decades have sparked intense debates about school choice globally, with sharply divided views on its objectives and results. Supporters such as Chubb \u0026amp; Moe (1990), Friedman (1955), the OECD (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), the World Bank (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), and proponents of neoliberal ideology argue that voucher policies can help address inequality, promote parental engagement, and enhance the quality of education. This perspective suggests that privatization through ePPP represents a practical and efficient alternative to delivering public education, a concept pioneered in the US, Australia, England and Wales, Sweden, and New Zealand (Whitty et al., 1998). This approach currently dominates education systems in OECD countries (OECD, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Verger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) and has gained support and promotion from the United Nations through its affiliated agencies such as the World Bank, IFC, OECD, and WTO, as a key component of the 2015 Millennium Goals, particularly for the development of low-income UN member nations (Mundy \u0026amp; Menashy, 2012).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, most critics stemmed from educational sociologists, namely: Termes et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), Windle (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), Verger (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e), Ball (2008), and Witty (2002), cluster their analyses around the relationship between neoliberalism and education and its tendencies to exacerbate social inequalities in education (Waslander, 2010).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo date, increasing studies on the voucher policy seek alternatives to improve its implementation worldwide, creating different interpretations and impacts of school choice in other education systems outside the Western regions, particularly in developing and poor-income countries, like the Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, because ePPPs are perceived as a cost-efficient strategy to achieve quality education, they were adopted by low-income countries, where governments face the dilemma of increasing access to education while limiting public spending (Robertson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). In the Philippines, PPP has been widely implemented primarily through the Education Service Contracting (ESC) targeted voucher for Junior High Schools (formerly known as first-year to fourth-year high schools under the Basic Education Curriculum). In their study on the development of the dynamics of school choice in the Philippines, Termes et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) employed sociological lenses to examine how schools responded to the voucher system and patterns of choice among families. The results showed that despite the pro-poor rhetoric of school choice, the voucher has led to different ways of school choice among families and to an array of school responses. Both of these factors have accentuated social inequalities in schools.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, on a global scale, the pandemic severely and mainly affected Low-Cost Private Schools (LCPS). UNESCO defines LCPS as any school that is not operated by the government but is controlled and managed, whether for profit or not, by a private body (e.g., community, foundation, faith-based organization, NGO, private proprietor, private enterprise, or school under ePPP (Alam \u0026amp; Tiwari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e, p. 2). The impacts of the pandemic on LCPS under ePPP resulted in significant financial losses, and teachers were reported losing their jobs, having their salaries cut, or not being paid at all (Alam \u0026amp; Tiwari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The market disruptions pose significant risks to the families at the bottom of the pyramid, with children more likely to attend LCPS than high-fee private schools. Evidence from past crises and recent reports strongly suggests that personal school enrolments will decline substantially, with some students migrating to public schools and others delaying entry or dropping out (ibid). Addressing the issue of enrollment decline or sustaining market operations requires a strategic economic plan and innovative school leadership focusing on entrepreneurial leadership.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the first year of the pandemic, private schools experienced financial losses due to a significant decrease in enrollment, leading to bankruptcy. However, in the second year of the crisis, notable increase in enrollment was seen. It is in this context that the researchers have focused their attention on revealing how entrepreneurial leadership among principals contributes to the successful implementation of strategies leading to increased enrollment, consequently redefining entrepreneurial leadership.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePrincipal Entrepreneurial Leadership\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe pandemic requires leadership competencies that respond to its potential destructive effects. Current literature on educational leadership amid the pandemic reflects the following leadership roles and characteristics of an academic leader: visionary (Settles et al., 2019), emotionally agile (Koehn, 2020; Schwantes,2020; Dirani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), caring (Cahapay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e); flexible (Schwantes, 2020; Caminiti, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) innovator, sense maker, technological adept and enhancer ( Cahapay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Dirani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), goal and strategy setter, motivator, collaborator, provider of a team the autonomy to assume the responsibility of their own decisions (Cahapay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Fernandez \u0026amp; Shaw, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). These leadership qualities encompass academic, technological, socio-emotional, and inclusive aspects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, school principals are seen deficient of these leadership qualities. Fundamentally, school principals are observed to have limited understanding of how they must respond to crises. Such deficiency resulted into the decline of enrollment in LCPS. Hence, educational administrators and leaders must showcase pedagogical expertise while demonstrating skills in entrepreneurship to keep school enrollment afloat (Alam \u0026amp; Tiwari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Entrepreneurial leadership fosters and propels innovation. Leaders actively scan their external environments to identify opportunities and innovative solutions to complex educational challenges (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., \u0026amp; Pashiardis, P., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). In doing so, they form coalitions with entities that could potentially support a more efficient and effective execution of the school\u0026rsquo;s aims and objectives (ibid). Entrepreneurial leadership entails resource allocation, coordination of interdisciplinary tasks, and establishment of network structures (Weick \u0026amp; Sutcliffe, 2015). Thus, the key attributes of entrepreneurial leaders include the ability to observe, comprehend, and act in response to their environment leading to the identification of opportunities before they become apparent to others. They promptly respond innovatively and creatively based on their perception of these opportunities (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., \u0026amp; Pashiardis, P., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCritics argue that emphasizing the business aspects of educational leadership could exacerbate equity issues. They point out that prioritizing market-driven approaches may result in conflicting educational goals, leading to the categorization of schools as winners and losers. This, in turn, could unnecessarily fuel competition among schools and foster antagonistic relationships (Verger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe primary issue is connecting business and profit to quality and fairness in education. Scholars propose a new form of entrepreneurial leadership called \u003cem\u003eedupreneurship\u003c/em\u003e, which integrates pedagogical business thinking. Implementing this concept within the education sector could help develop leadership strategies that promote equity and efficiency in education, free from stringent austerity-driven New Public Management ideologies (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., \u0026amp; Pashiardis, P., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiven the risk of potential closure and declining enrollment facing LPCS in the coming years, there is a call for entrepreneurial leadership. Additionally, a research suggests that it is essential to examine the outcomes of entrepreneurial leadership that could improve organizational performance during the pandemic (Bilal et al., 2021). Historical data and recent reports indicate a significant decline in private school enrollments, with some students transferring to public schools and others postponing or discontinuing their education (ibid). This market disruption poses substantial risks for families at the lower end of the economic spectrum, as children from these families are more likely to attend LPCS than higher-fee private schools. A strategic economic plan and innovative school leadership will be necessary to address the decline in enrollment and sustain operations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS AND DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe first theme, \u003cem\u003eExercising Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Appropriation of PPP Amid an Educational Crisis\u003c/em\u003e, answers research question 1: How do school principals exercise entrepreneurial leadership in appropriating ePPP amid an educational crisis?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppropriating the ePPP Amid an Educational Crisis through Entrepreneurial Leadership\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePPP in education amid a crisis is appropriated through principal entrepreneurial leadership by deploying copy-the-correct-answer marketing strategies. To provide a background, the decline in enrollment from SY 2019 to 2020 and the increase in enrollment from 2020 to 2021 are presented below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn issue regarding the enrollment decline was determined to provide a context on how entrepreneurial leadership was exercised in creating marketing strategies. In this context, entrepreneurial leadership aims to achieve the desired enrollment quota. Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e below illustrates that enrollment decreased slightly from SY 2019\u0026ndash;2020 to SY2020-2021.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEnrollment decline from SY 2019\u0026ndash;2020 to SY 2020\u0026ndash;2021 in all KP branches\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProgram\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSY 2019\u0026ndash;2020\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSY 2020\u0026ndash;2021\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePre-school and Elementary\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 688\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 055\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eJunior High School\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 282\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 651\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSenior High School\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 822\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26 601\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33 792\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31 307\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore the pandemic, there was a surge in the number of students who registered online and confirmed their registration before and during the first month of the lockdown in April 2020. The economic implications of the lockdown among families, such as temporary unemployment or job loss and confinement in the provinces due to travel restrictions, were strongly felt in the succeeding months. These factors influenced family decisions about enrollment and schooling. For example, paying students from the elementary to the college level migrated to public schools. In contrast, non-paying students like the SHS students opted to attend schools that were geographically more accessible and financially constraining (Quality Assurance Office and Research Publications Department Report, 2020).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEnrollment increase from SY 2020\u0026ndash;2021 to SY 2021\u0026ndash;2022 in all KP branches\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProgram\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSY 2020\u0026ndash;2021\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSY 2021\u0026ndash;2022\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePre-school and Elementary\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 055\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 337\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eJunior High School\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 651\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 333\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSenior High School\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26 601\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40 733\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31 307\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47 403\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e shows that the enrollment from SY 2020\u0026ndash;2021 to SY 2021\u0026ndash;2022 increased significantly. Principals attribute the enrollment increase to entrepreneurial leadership, deploying their local notions of marketing strategies or \u003cem\u003ecopy-the-correct-answer strategies\u003c/em\u003e to meet the enrollment quota.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDeploying the correct-answer strategies\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrincipals refer to \u0026quot;copying the correct answer\u0026quot; to share each other\u0026rsquo;s most effective on-the-ground marketing strategies. The University President coined the term to share best practices in implementing marketing strategies. Principals have employed the \u0026quot;copy-the-correct-answer\u0026quot; strategy to meet their enrollment targets. Copying the correct answer involves the following emerging and thriving marketing strategies shared by different KP campuses.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cem\u003eCreating the Thursday Group Meeting\u003c/em\u003e. Every Thursday, principals, assistant principals, assistant vice presidents (campus or branch heads), and the vice president for academic affairs gather online to meet with the KP\u0026rsquo;s chairman/president. During these meetings, each principal updates daily enrollment progress, discusses enrollment challenges, and proposes solutions. These meetings address enrollment issues, such as student attrition, and share successful experiences and strategies for meeting enrollment targets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrincipal 1 mentioned that during these meetings, they receive guidance from senior school officials and peers on achieving enrollment targets and addressing issues related to enrollment quotas. This allows them to stay informed and acquire marketing knowledge and skills from industry professionals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meeting, the department receives a black mark when it hits the quota or a red mark when it fails to meet the daily target. The principal justifies a red mark. Receiving a red mark is uncomfortable for the principal, vice principal, and assistant vice president of a campus or branch. To avoid this, they intensify their marketing strategies. The campus or department extends the copy-the-correct-answer practices by (1) expanding the radius of a potential market, \u003cem\u003esinusuyod ang lahat\u003c/em\u003e (visit all schools; (2) posting promotions at the city\u0026apos;s public information office, and (3) giving more incentives or tokens to barangay officials or community people who invited more enrollees. Surprisingly, the principals deploy the word \u003cem\u003ediskarte\u003c/em\u003e to express how they creatively stretch or maximize their resources in executing marketing strategies. \u003cem\u003eDiskarte\u003c/em\u003e here means exploring possible ways to meet the quota and accountability measures. The pressure is more remarkable for the SHS department than for the JHS and elementary departments due to the bigger quotas. The SHS department capitalizes on the voucher system in its marketing plan to hit its quota. Since promotions usually occur online, particularly during the pandemic, principals received social media management training to manage online marketing activities. They underwent annual strategic planning activities aimed at hitting the target quota. New forms of marketing knowledge are acquired, allowing principals and teachers to innovate (Cahapay, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Dirani et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), and market students on social media platforms. The marketing activities will be discussed in the succeeding sections.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. \u003cem\u003eTelemarketing\u003c/em\u003e. Telemarketing involves directly selling products through phone calls or emails. A telemarketer (support staff, faculty, guidance counselor) is in charge of doing the following: 1. facilitates enrollment inquiries; 2. distributes registration forms and schedule of fees; 3. makes calls and follow-ups to encourage current students to stay and enroll in the program; 4. promotes marketing strategies (free modem, free textbook, bring a friend, lock-in enrollment scheme); and 5. persuades those who transferred to other schools (mostly public schools) to return to KP and avail of the lock-in enrollment scheme. This scheme is introduced to potential preschool and elementary clients. It offers to decrease monthly fees to no fees in SHS. Students can avail of the scheme from pre-kinder to SHS when they stay in primary education.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErna, a telemarketer in the elementary department who also worked as a guidance counselor, emphasized the effectiveness of follow-up calls for recruiting new students and gaining insight into their family situations. Throughout the pandemic, she observed that many of their former students had transferred to public schools due to various reasons, such as the breadwinners of their families losing their jobs, being laid off, experiencing salary reductions, or dealing with illness or death in the family, which led to significant financial strain. As a guidance counselor, she could use follow-ups to listen to stories and provide emotional comfort.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe emphasized that \u003cem\u003ebeyond marketing, empathizing with families and providing emotional support was a moral duty. She expressed that sentiment, and I came to understand the significance of education within every family, highlighting the notion that ensuring quality education, including enrolling children in reputable schools, is a fundamental ethical responsibility of parents, symbolizing good parenthood\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, the financial impact of the pandemic has tested parents\u0026apos; ability to offer their children a high-quality education. Erna noticed that once families had overcome financial constraints, they re-enrolled their children in KP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe accounts highlight that families select a school where they feel a sense of belonging and connection when presented with adequate economic prospects. Three parents expressed their intention to return to KP once their financial situation improves, emphasizing the strong rapport they have built with KP and its teachers and the relationships formed with other parents\u0026ndash;a problematic bond to part with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. \u003cem\u003eTapping Community/barangay partners.\u003c/em\u003e Principals emphasize the importance of building solid relationships with community leaders and residents for successful community campaigns. Marketing efforts, community outreach, and engagement programs achieve a positive school-community relationship. These programs include health initiatives, educational programs, and environmental clean-up drives. Additionally, KP typically has a formal agreement with the communities or barangays that receive these programs, making it easier to conduct marketing activities in those areas. Marketing activities within the barangay involve engaging with barangay officials and community people. These activities include distributing flyers and displaying promotional banners in key locations across the barangay, public schools with junior high school programs, public utility tricycles, and faculty residences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e4. Bringing a friend.\u003c/em\u003e There is a common understanding that when a parent enrolls a new student in the program, they effectively recruit a potential client by bringing a friend. In return, the recruiter receives 130GB worth of Modem data for each recruited student. A school principal mentioned prioritizing providing high-quality instruction and care to parents and their children to attract new enrollees. Teachers must demonstrate competence and empathy towards students and parents to earn their trust. For instance, Teacher Lisa established an additional class based in Dubai to accommodate parents\u0026rsquo; requests. In order to meet the demand, the preschool class size was increased to 15 students. Parents in Dubai actively recruited new enrollees to reach the maximum class size. The class size deviated from the initially requested standard of 9 students. Subsequently, Teacher Lisa received a message from a parent in Dubai (whom she assumed was the group leader) expressing gratitude because her child was enjoying the program. She then requested to enroll another student, her friend\u0026apos;s child, and Teacher Lisa agreed despite the more extensive and challenging class. She takes pride in the trust she has earned from her parents. The principal also expressed satisfaction with the situation. Teacher Lisa described her experience as \u0026quot;\u003cem\u003eMula sa kaba napalitan ng saya\u003c/em\u003e\u0026quot; (from worry to joy). It signifies that worry is replaced by joy when confidence and teacher authority are established. The principal emphasized that entrepreneurial leadership often requires surpassing the expectations outlined in the marketing plan.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e5. Digital posting.\u003c/em\u003e Digital posting involves sharing promotional videos, school activities, announcements, and quotes to promote the school and encourage engagement. For instance, events like the awarding of honors and graduation generate various forms of interaction, such as likes, emoticons, and comments. Typically, comments are positive, congratulating the student on their academic achievement and acknowledging their family\u0026apos;s role in their success. Although social media, especially Facebook, has seen an influx of negative comments expressing concerns about social issues, it has also become a platform for families to share success stories and find joy and pride. In the Philippines, families celebrate academic achievements by displaying tarpaulins that showcase their family members\u0026apos; accomplishments, such as completing a degree, earning honors, or passing board examinations. These displays are often placed in prominent locations within both rural and urban poor communities. Additionally, with the rise of the internet, academic achievements are often shared on social media platforms, featuring certificates, congratulatory messages, awards, and grades. KP capitalized on this trend by celebrating family academic achievements and reinforcing that KP is part of every family\u0026rsquo;s academic success. However, unnecessary online posting of private information (i.e., school records) and excessive achievement showcases violate data privacy issues and perpetuate a culture of meritocracy. KP is challenged to address these ethical and social issues and uphold its moral standards as an educational institution.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe SHS department utilizes the online environment for digital games as a marketing strategy, as Principal 3 mentioned. \u003cem\u003eBy engaging students in digital games such as Mobile Legend and Call of Duty tournaments, the department aims to attract students to enroll in a KP branch. Upon registration, students can join the class FB page or group chat and participate in various online games and activities. These tournaments allow teams of students to compete for prizes, serving as a way for the school to connect with students, understand their interests, and build trust.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6. \u003cem\u003eQuality Instruction and Care.\u003c/em\u003e The senior high school program operates within the voucher program under the ePPP educational arrangement. The elementary program does not work with a voucher program, meaning families pay school fees from their pockets. It is crucial to note that while both programs have different target markets, both are engaged in marketing strategies, as discussed in the previous section. However, another interpretation of entrepreneurial leadership reflects appropriation, emphasizing the pivotal roles of individuals, particularly principals and teachers, as they interpret intrapreneurial leadership through their negotiated practice (Wendel \u0026amp; Feldman, 2005; Levinson et al.,2009; Shore et al., 2011; Haman \u0026amp; Rosen, 2011).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eS\u003c/em\u003eince the voucher system is unavailable in grade school, the elementary department capitalizes on quality instruction to promote its program and hit its quota. Such a context allows the elementary to reinforce teaching, yielding positive learning outcomes and keeping positive engagement with parents. Principal 2 said that if the learning outcomes are positive, parents are motivated to enroll their children in MP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTeacher 2 said \u003cem\u003eI am trying to teach my students and establish a good relationship with them and their parents. Enrolling a child in the program implies the affirmation of the quality of service. As we all know, parents select the school for their children in their primary years. Likewise, students who feel comfortable or trust us can influence their parents\u0026apos; decisions\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThus, instead of engaging directly in marketing activities, Teacher 1 taps parents to market the program. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing strategy; if the parent is satisfied, their satisfaction can be circulated within their network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElementary principal 1 reinforces the above narratives. She expressed that in a crisis, \u003cem\u003ethe best capital is a partnership; within our environment, we capitalized on our relationship to support each other emotionally and cognitively (in terms of sharing ICT knowledge and learning materials). Outside the learning setting, we extend our resources to parents, and they, too, communicate with us their trust so that we can develop a partnership, allowing us to transcend a difficult situation. So, these families never choose other schools. If they left us during the pandemic, that was because of the financial constraint. However, they returned to us as soon as they recovered financially. Capitalizing on a partnership built on care and quality teaching is our best service, particularly amid a crisis.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoreover, digital promotions such as family and alumni testimonials complement and enhance quality instruction and care capitalization. It is crucial to note that marketing strategies target families and parents because, in grade school, parents are the ones who decide on the school for their children. The family testimonials include narratives of how the families are cared for, making them feel KP is an extension of their immediate family. The given family testimonial narrative encapsulates a sense of family belongingness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe feel we belong at KP. The teacher and the management have been our partners in providing affordable, quality education and family values such as respect for others, kindness, diligence, and care that our children need to succeed.\u003c/em\u003e (See more discussion in the next section).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut of 113 parents surveyed, 70 described their relationship with the school and teachers as excellent, 60 as very good, and three as good. The teachers\u0026apos; qualities, including their responsiveness, approachability, care, guidance, accommodation, patience, and competence in The results indicate that teachers\u0026apos; qualities can be divided into two categories: socio-relational values or character (responsiveness, approachability, care, guidance, accommodation, patience) and competence in teaching (ability to explain lessons well). While both categories are essential, socio-relational values are more likely to engender parents\u0026apos; trust and satisfaction. Interestingly, socio-emotional qualities are associated with customer service qualities, viewing teachers as work personnel who immediately respond to a client\u0026rsquo;s needs. A teacher uttered, \u003cem\u003eat the outset of the pandemic, we felt that the life-work boundary was blurred. We were compelled to respond to parents\u0026rsquo; queries late at night.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data suggest that families are considered significant stakeholders, and trust in school is achieved when care and quality instruction are sustained. Creating alumni and family testimonials as a marketing strategy supports this resource and the parent-teacher relationship. The on-the-ground practice reverberates the concept of \u003cem\u003eedupreneurship\u003c/em\u003e, emphasizing that private education balances profit and fairness. Implementing this concept within the education sector could help develop leadership strategies that promote equity and efficiency in education, free from stringent austerity-driven New Public Management ideologies (Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz, S., \u0026amp; Pashiardis, P., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e7. Alumni and family testimonials\u003c/em\u003e: The principals leveraged alumni and family testimonials as a powerful marketing tool, tapping into the school-parent partnership as a valuable resource. Alumni and family testimonials are brief accounts of success stories, expressions of gratitude toward the school, and impactful school experiences shared by KP alumni and their families. These testimonials are accessible through the institution\u0026apos;s official Facebook page.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross all campuses, it is evident that many individuals choose to attend KP based on a family tradition. Numerous families have at least one member (a grandparent, parent, sibling, or relative) who graduated from KP. Upholding a school family tradition gives students and their families a strong sense of belonging, identity, and familiarity. Her book Unequal Childhoods (Lareau, 2011) explores how middle-class parents engage in concerted cultivation, whether black or white. This parenting style is marked by parents\u0026rsquo; attempts to cultivate their children\u0026rsquo;s talents and skills by incorporating organized activities into their lives. In contrast, working-class and poor families rely on the accomplishment of natural growth, in which a child\u0026rsquo;s development unfolds spontaneously -if basic comfort, food, and shelter are provided. These approaches to childrearing provide an understanding that home contexts and parenting practices vis a vis school participation and school selection patterns reflect a system tied to social identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA seasoned principal \u003cem\u003eemphasized the significance of nurturing and utilizing the strong familial bonds between school members and the families they serve. By functioning as a cohesive family unit, we can maintain trust in our relationships, even in the face of challenges brought about by the pandemic. This trust enables us to support one another through uncertainty. During the transitional period, characterized by heightened social, financial, and psychological challenges, we upheld our faith in each other and utilized it to overcome these obstacles.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe principal\u0026apos;s account highlights the significance of relationships as a valuable asset. It emphasizes the interdependence between the school community and parents during the crisis, fostering generational ties. Families select KP as their children\u0026apos;s school, preserving their traditions and identities, including their socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8. \u003cem\u003eDeveloping a sense of urgency\u003c/em\u003e. Entrepreneurial leadership involves having a sense of urgency or the ability to respond swiftly to evolving external conditions. This includes adjusting marketing strategies and organizational procedures in light of changing government regulations and market competition. For example, there is a growing trend of private schools providing senior high school education with no top-up or beyond the existing amount of the voucher, along with additional perks such as free uniforms. Some public schools give monthly allowances to students. These trends have intensified competition in the sector. In this light, KP explored other creative marketing strategies to stay relevant and competitive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"colspec\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"colspec\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVarious articulations of urgency as a manifestation of entrepreneurial leadership amid a crisis.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrincipal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArticulations of Urgency from Principals\u0026rsquo; Perspectives\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe leadership has broadened in terms of scope and responsibilities. You cannot be lax. You need to be innovative and develop marketing skills. It would be best to have a sense of urgency because things change abruptly.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThere is a very strong market competition among private school SHS providers. We managed to be the first to create a strategy. To increase our enrollment, maximize our radius, and even go beyond it. We bring with us all marketing strategies to attract the potential market. We visited provinces and places with less competition and created a market there.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHaving a sense of urgency means making a quick decision informed by the expectations of external environment (DepEd and PEAC policies, school competitions\u0026rsquo; regarding attracting enrollees, and community linkages) and internal environment (institutional resources) and how these resources and relationships are used to strategize and meet the target quota.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSensitive to the needs of our stakeholders. Your market is families, not individual students, so you must be sensitive to their situations. We provided various learning modalities to fit students\u0026rsquo; and their families\u0026rsquo; resources. We provided air-conditioned face-to-face classrooms and ensured students experienced work immersion with our partner industries.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe remain visible on the ground or in communities and establish relationships with community people because they also help campaign for us. Most of our students have a family enrollment history with us\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe statements above emphasize the growing significance of entrepreneurial leadership in the role of private school principals, leaving them vulnerable to external pressures and market demands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrincipal 6, a senior high school principal, \u003cem\u003eshared insights on how acquiring new marketing knowledge and skills has become crucial for ensuring the school\u0026apos;s operational sustainability. However, this new role has also brought about tension, prompting me to question my fundamental responsibility of ensuring quality instruction in my department.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eFactors Mediating Entrepreneurial Leadership\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSeveral contextual factors mediate the exercise of intrapreneurial leadership in the appropriation of ePPP amid an education crisis. These are the market and the pandemic, social media management as a marketing strategy, and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) and the Quality Assurance Team (QUAT).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe market and the pandemic had a significant impact\u003c/em\u003e. When the pandemic started in March 2020, the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of schools posed a serious threat to school operations. It caused anxieties about unemployment, job loss, and the risk of COVID-19 infection. Despite the crisis, KP managed to retain all its employees, especially the teaching staff. To maintain operational viability, KP implemented a reduced work schedule and labor furlough for some support staff and focused on innovative marketing strategies to raise funds, with social media management as a key initiative.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSocial Media Management (SMM) is essential to KP\u0026rsquo;s marketing strategies\u003c/em\u003e. KP creatively develops, monitors, and promotes social media content through SMM across various digital platforms. KP\u0026rsquo;s SMM focuses on identity branding, emphasizing affordable education options for those facing financial difficulties. This includes flexible enrollment, online and printed learning modalities, and exceptional care for students and their families.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMP utilizes its official institutional Facebook Page and individual campus pages to engage the community and inform them about various marketing promotions and activities. Activities that generate the most social engagement revolve around mental health campaigns, relatable and emotional life messages, extracurricular events such as dance contests and concerts, and important milestones like graduations and sports achievements.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, MP offers marketing promotions for paying students from preschool, elementary, and junior high school, which include discounted tuition fees, reasonable payment plans, free textbooks, and internet modems. For non-paying students, senior high school, principals, and the economic team collaborate with the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) to provide support.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC)\u003c/strong\u003e was established to oversee the Senior High School voucher program under the e-GASTPE. Its primary role is facilitating financial aid through the voucher program for Grade 10 completers; most attend public schools and intend to pursue Grades 11 and 12 in a private school or the senior high school program. Additionally, the committee monitors and supervises participating schools and ensures that students under the e-GASTPE complete the Senior High School Program successfully.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe Philippine Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) is a five-member committee that functions as the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) trustee, a permanent and irrevocable trust fund. The committee is chaired by the Secretary of Education, with a representative from NEDA and members from the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU), and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) (\u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://peac.org.ph/about-peac/\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLast school year, 2018\u0026ndash;2019, PEAC processed the billing statements of 4,432 schools, covering 1,282,622 beneficiaries who received vouchers totaling Php22.18\u0026nbsp;billion in the Philippines. PEAC also conducts assessments of participating schools in ePPP through commissioned research to further improve SHS implementation. Likewise, it undertakes In-Service Training (INSET)to help demonstrators and teachers implement the K-12 reform.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIn response to PEAC, KP initiated an open enrollment for grade 10 completers, regardless of their chosen strands, and provided assistance with their requirements. As previously mentioned, administrators, particularly principals, utilized marketing strategies to encourage these students to enroll in MP. However, the most prevalent issue is attrition, where students drop out or are unable to complete the required academic calendar days. Various factors contribute to attrition, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents choose to remain in public schools due to financial constraints, such as insufficient budget for transportation, meals, and school projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents opt to work to support their families.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents select schools that offer appealing incentives, such as an additional allowance of 2,000 Php, or approximately 40 US dollars, upon enrollment.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/li\u003e\n \u003c/ol\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh attrition rates affect the school\u0026rsquo;s income and leave it with a negative image from stakeholders, particularly the PEAC. To address attrition, teachers constantly monitor students\u0026rsquo; attendance, establish regular communication with students and their families, and motivate students to finish their studies.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhile entrepreneurial management is an inevitable aspect of principal leadership to sustain school operations and leverage the demands of the market and government stakeholders, instructional leadership also needs to be strengthened. In this regard, MP, through the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, created the Quality Assurance Team (QUAT) with the following duties: 1. conduct assessments on instructional delivery, 2. recommend instructional interventions and create and implement instructional innovations to ensure quality education in the SHS program.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Quality Assurance Team (QUAT) was formed last School Year, 2016\u0026ndash;2017, when KP pioneered the SHS program.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe emerging possibilities for enhancing quality assurance in educational systems seem to encourage closer collaboration between education and business expertise. This collaboration aims to develop effective problem-solving strategies for educational institutions, including schools (Heinrich \u0026amp; Kohlstock, 2016).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe Quality Assurance Team (QUAT) consists of the Quality Assurance Director as chair, the Research Director as vice chair, and the Director for Basic Education and Assistant Vice President (of one of MP\u0026apos;s campuses), with the Vice President for Academic Affairs serving as a consultant.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe primary function of the QUAT is to ensure that quality instruction is in place amid the changing shift of leadership roles towards entrepreneurial management within ePPP. The newly created SHS program under the K-12 law in 2013 inevitably required hiring a new workforce, particularly teachers and other academic heads, urging MP to make instructional reforms through the QUAT and counterbalance the impacts of entrepreneurial management.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe QUAT conducts an effective internal review of the SHS program, specifically focusing on mentoring teachers by encouraging support of the academic community (principals, assistant principals, subject coordinators, tertiary program chairs, and AVPs) through the Instructional Mentoring Program (IMP). The IMP intends to increase the teaching or instructional competencies of academic actors, particularly teachers and subject coordinators, in the following areas: content, pedagogy, assessment, socioemotional dimension, and research by integrating a multi-disciplinary, research-based and participatory approach to mentoring and coaching; and identifying issues, best practices (strategies and alternatives), and recommendations for future teacher training, curricular enhancements, and policy developments.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eDuring a crisis, principals\u0026rsquo; appropriation of ePPP through entrepreneurial leadership in education involves effectively utilizing available resources and opportunities to ensure that quality instruction is maintained while meeting enrollment targets to sustain the institution. Principals employ various strategies such as telemarketing, community campaigns, social media management, leveraging teacher and alumni testimonials, offering incentives, and emphasizing quality education and support to achieve these goals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese principles were acquired, communicated, and strengthened during the Thursday meetings, during which entrepreneurial guidance was provided between senior technocratic leaders and middle management (principals and assistant principals). Various factors influence the adoption of ePPP through entrepreneurial leadership, including the pandemic, expertise in social media management, the skill to assess the external environment and utilize stakeholders, and forging external partnerships, responding to the demands of government agencies, the ability to utilize internal resources to mitigate the negative effects of the market.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEntrepreneurial leadership was robust in the SHS under the framework of ePPP, empowering principals to leverage marketing strategies to meet and boost enrollment. However, entrepreneurial leadership was more subtle in the elementary department, enabling elementary principals and teachers to leverage nurturing relationships and teaching expertise to maintain their enrollment. In this context, entrepreneurial leadership is closely tied to instructional leadership, rooted in the relational nature of leadership. Therefore, as the education crisis intensifies entrepreneurial leadership, refining entrepreneurial management could involve reemphasizing instructional leadership that focuses on care and competence.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf there is any acknowledgment that the authors would like to mention, please mention it here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeclaration of Ownership\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article is our original work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interest\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no conflict of interest to declare in this article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Clearance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe institution approved this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding Declaration in the manuscript: To be funded by the Research Publications Department\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClinical Trial Number in the manuscript: not Applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsent to Publish declaration: not applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsent to Participate declaration: not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics declaration: not applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Declaration\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available because the university\u0026rsquo;s Quality Assurance office officially owns them, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Ethical approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript was reviewed and approved by the institution\u0026rsquo;s Ethics Review Board(ERB) Committee, spearheaded by Dr. Remedious L. Fernandez as the acting Chairman. Moreover, the AU-ERB is accredited by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB). Based on the existing Standard Operating (SOP) of the AU_ERB Manual, the AU ERB is an Independent body whose responsibility is to: (1) ensure the protection of the rights, safety, and well-being of human subjects involved in health-related research, and (2) provide public assurance of that protection.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformed consent\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study, \"Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis,\" observes confidentiality of information provided by all participants and ensures that their participation was voluntary. All participants were interviewed, consenting adults, and assured that their involvement and input would contribute to policy enhancements.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research employs a qualitative case study approach, utilizing interviews, document analysis, and observations as data collection methods. Thus, experiments involving human participants were not relevant to this study.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConfidentiality\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll information you provide will be kept confidential. Your name will not be used in any reports or publications. Data will be stored securely, and only the researchers will have access to it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVoluntary Participation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour participation is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to answer any question or withdraw from the study at any time without penalty or loss of benefits.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll information collected was maintained in strict confidentiality and utilized exclusively for research purposes. Each participant has granted their consent to participate under the oversight of the Research Publications Office and the Quality Assurance Office, which has led the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Consent to publish\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hereby grant our consent for the publication of this article in both print and electronic formats. We affirm that the article does not infringe upon any copyright or proprietary rights belonging to others.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlam A, Tiwari P. Implications of COVID-19 Low-cost Private Schools. UNICEF; 2021.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRetrieved from \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/media/1581/file/UNICEF_Global_Insight_Implications_covid-19_Low-cost_Private_Schools_2021.pdf\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/media/1581/file/UNICEF_Global_Insight_Implications_covid-19_Low-cost_Private_Schools_2021.pdf\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBaxter PE, Jack S. (2010). 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Education Year in Review. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2009.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWorld Bank. Philippines: Private provision, public purpose. Washington, DC: Author; 2011.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFour hundred twenty-five private schools have closed. since 2020. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/20/2203802/425-private-schools-closed-2020-\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/20/2203802/425-private-schools-closed-2020-\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diedu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Education](https://www.springer.com/journal/44217)","snPcode":"44217","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44217/3","title":"Discover Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Entrepreneurial Leadership, Appropriation, Public-Private Partnership in Education","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7055560/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7055560/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eRooted in an educational anthropology perspective, this research explores how school principals demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in education during crises. Utilizing a case study approach, the researchers examined how principals implemented PPPs by conducting focus group discussions, interviews, classroom observations, document analysis, and social media observations, as well as chatting through Facebook Messenger. The findings indicated that principals are attuned to external factors such as health crises, government policies, and market conditions, while also factoring in their internal resources and support. This awareness results in the implementation of locally adapted strategies, referred to as \u0026ldquo;copy-the-correct-answer,\u0026rdquo; which involve sharing effective marketing techniques to achieve enrollment targets across the school\u0026rsquo;s campuses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the macro level, education marketing is strategically utilized to foster relationships with students and parents, thereby creating demand and promoting a positive reputation. In contrast, the micro level emphasizes the integration of marketing across disciplines, aiming to deliver high-quality service through caring relationships and demonstrating teaching competence during the pandemic. Within this framework, entrepreneurial leadership is closely intertwined with instructional leadership. Given the decline in private school enrollment and the ongoing education crisis, there is an urgent need to reconsider intrapreneurial leadership, emphasizing social responsibility and quality instruction within the PPP landscape in education.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Principal Entrepreneurial Leadership: Appropriating the Public-Private Partnership in Education (ePPP) Amid a Crisis","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-29 04:10:41","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7055560/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-01-05T07:47:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-29T01:12:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-23T13:00:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"270202439430547645834545052177770798116","date":"2025-12-15T00:38:32+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"326020086890282950352152534982399930701","date":"2025-12-03T13:35:05+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-11T08:15:49+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"176702247636498010272681381227652566842","date":"2025-11-09T19:11:02+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"179391545907312356133765876185291975412","date":"2025-11-05T08:37:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-02T20:51:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"107189708954601064281353349192323331115","date":"2025-10-21T06:35:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-14T10:32:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-09T00:27:20+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-07T07:58:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-09-29T06:55:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Education","date":"2025-09-29T02:42:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diedu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Education](https://www.springer.com/journal/44217)","snPcode":"44217","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44217/3","title":"Discover Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"a5b06e15-1fa5-4083-af57-3ecdc0e29ace","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 29th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-25T07:09:35+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-29 04:10:41","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7055560","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7055560","identity":"rs-7055560","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}