Communication for Community Mobilization: A Case Study of the Department of Education Adopt-A-School Program in Malabon City Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study explored the communication strategies-key themes/messages communicated through various media channels-employed by the public secondary schools of Malabon City in the process of mobilizing the community in the implementation of the Department of Education's (DepEd) Adopt-a-School Program (ASP) and Brigada Eskwela (BE). Three schools with the highest amount of resources generated under ASP in2017, and with awards and accolades received in BE, served as caseworks of the study. Two groups of key informants consisted of the implementers (the school principal and the ASP and/or BE Coordinator) and the stakeholders (parent, alumnus, student government, and officer/s of the schools' partner institutions). Through key informant interviews and review of physical artifacts relevant to the study, it was found that in order to engage the participation of partners, donors, and stakeholders in education, the schools communicate five key themes/messages that revolve around philanthropy, shared responsibility, trust and transparency, specificity, and economic and moral gains. Guided by the Media Synchronicity Theory (MST) by Dennis, et al. (2008), results further showed that in order to communicate these key themes and messages. the schools utilize an aggregate of media channels that they deem capable to: 1. support lower levels of synchronicity and allow for conveyance of information including print, multimedia, and mass media; 2. support higher levels of synchronicity and allow for convergence or a shared understanding towards the adoption of the school including face-to-face and personal communication; and 3. merge higher and lower levels of synchronicity and allow for both conveyance and convergence including social media and traditional channels. A model/framework on communication for community mobilization is also proposed by this study to serve as guide of public schools in the implementation of partnership programs.