Safeguarding indigenous learners in schools: a qualitative study of teacher perspectives on child protection policy in Southern Philippines

A significant research gap exists regarding the implementation of child protection policies (CPP) within the unique sociocultural context of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the Southern Philippines. This qualitative case study aimed to explore public secondary school teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the CPP of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education and the challenges they encounter. Data were collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with 10 teachers in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings reveal that while teachers perceive the policy as vital for safeguarding students, its effectiveness is hampered by inconsistent implementation, a pronounced lack of continuous training and awareness among teachers and parents, student resistance, and external challenges such as resource limitations and cultural factors. The study's originality and value lie in its specific regional focus, applying Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory to frame these challenges as interconnected issues across the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macro-levels. It provides context-specific evidence for policymakers and school administrators to design culturally sensitive, multilevel interventions, including robust training, strengthened community collaboration, and addressing systemic barriers, to enhance child protection in similar post-conflict and culturally distinct regions.