Translating SDG 4 Into Local Practice: A Phenomenological Study of Teacher Agency and the Foundational Skills Gap

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study bridges the gap between United Nations (UN) global policy and rural Philippine classroom realities by exploring how senior high school teachers in Santa Maria, Davao Occidental, integrate Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4: Quality Education) into their practices. Amid a national crisis in foundational skills and poor international assessment rankings, translating the principles of SDG 4 into effective instruction remains a critical challenge. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews (N=10), class observations (N=5), and a focus group discussion (N=5), and analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The findings reveal that teachers internalize SDG 4 as a mandate for Quality, Relevance, and Equity (QRE), driven by a moral commitment to bridge student learning gaps. This commitment manifests in four "Instructional Pillars": Constructivist and Experiential Learning, development of Higher Order Thinking and Criticality (HOTS), Integrated 21st-Century Skills, and Data-Driven Quality Assurance. However, these efforts are countered by a "Triple Threat" of barriers: the pervasive foundational skills gap, student cognitive resistance, and environmental constraints. While teachers have successfully translated global mandates into rigorous, outcome-driven local practices, these impressive "bottom-up" implementation efforts are constantly undermined by systemic gaps and a lack of specialized training. The study concludes that without addressing structural barriers and student readiness, the long-term sustainability of quality and equity goals remains in jeopardy.