Awareness and Practice of the Salesian Preventive System of Basic Education Teachers

Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 121 Awareness and Practice of the Salesian Preventive System of Basic Education Teachers DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17645115 Burt T. Lacsao La Consolacion College Bacolod https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9997-3837 | [email protected] Abstract: This study examined the awareness and extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System (SPS) among basic education teachers in three Salesian schools in the Philippine South Province. Using a quantitative, descriptivecomparative, and correlational research design, the study assessed 112 teachers selected through stratified random sampling. Data were gathered through a validated and highly reliable survey instrument anchored on the three pillars of the SPS: Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and Spearman’s rank correlation were employed to analyze the data. Results revealed a very high level of awareness and a very great extent of practice across all SPS pillars. No significant differences in awareness or practice were found when respondents were grouped according to age, sex, years of service, or department, indicating a cohesive institutional formation culture. Spearman’s rho demonstrated strong and significant correlations (ρ = 0.685 to 0.890, p < .001), showing that higher awareness of the SPS is strongly associated with greater consistency in its pedagogical application. These findings affirm that the SPS remains deeply embedded in the identity and daily practice of Salesian educators and underscore the importance of ongoing formation in sustaining Don Bosco’s educational charism. The study suggests enhancing targeted mentoring for younger teachers and strengthening spiritual accompaniment initiatives to further deepen the lived practice of the SPS. Future research may explore qualitative insights and broader comparative analyses across other Salesian or Catholic institutions. Keywords: Salesian Preventive System, Don Bosco, teacher awareness, pedagogical practice, Catholic education, Salesian schools, Reason Religion Loving-Kindness, teacher formation, values-based education, quantitative research Introduction: The Salesian Preventive System (SPS), formulated by St. John Bosco in the 19th century, remains one of the most enduring holistic educational approaches in Catholic pedagogy. Rooted in the pillars of reason, religion, and lovingkindness, the system emphasizes sympathetic guidance over punitive discipline (Braido, 2013; Lenti, 2010). Historically, Don Bosco developed the SPS amid social instability in Turin, where marginalized youth faced poverty, exploitation, and lack of moral formation. His approach sought not only academic development but also character formation and spiritual grounding, making education both an act of love and a means of social transformation. Contemporary Salesian institutions continue to uphold this vision, adapting its practices to modern schooling realities. Globally, the push for holistic formation has intensified as schools increasingly move beyond cognitive outcomes to address students’ moral, emotional, and social development. International trends highlight the importance of relational pedagogy, socio-emotional learning, and values-based education as critical aspects of student well-being and long-term success (Noddings, 2013; Sprague & Walker, 2021). These trends align with the SPS emphasis on supportive relationships, empathetic engagement, and pastoral presence. At the same time, these developments underscore the urgency of studying how enduring educational philosophies, such as Salesian pedagogy, function in contemporary contexts characterized by digital distractions, mental health concerns, and shifting moral landscapes. The expanding network of Salesian schools illustrates the continued relevance of the SPS. With more than 3,643 schools in 132 countries, the Salesian educational mission reaches approximately 940,000 learners worldwide (Agenzia iNfo Salesiana, 2016). These institutions vary widely in cultural context, student demographics, and institutional resources, requiring flexible yet faithful implementation of the SPS. Scholars argue that while the foundational pillars remain constant, the actual practice of the SPS must respond to evolving educational challenges, including technological shifts, the rise of inclusive education, and increasing diversity in learning needs (Farfan, 2019; Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 122 Vojtáš, 2024). This global diversity raises critical questions about consistency in understanding and practicing the SPS among educators. In the Philippines, the SPS is deeply woven into the identity of Salesian educational institutions. Catholic education, more broadly, plays a major role in shaping the moral and spiritual character of Filipino youth, with the Department of Education's K–12 curriculum emphasizing values formation, civic responsibility, and social transformation (DepEd, 2023). Research on Catholic schools in the Philippines shows that teacher identity, spiritual formation, and commitment to mission significantly influence the success of values-based education (Banusing, 2020; Cena & Bual, 2021). Yet Philippine studies also report variation in how teachers interpret religious or character formation programs depending on their training, years of service, and personal spirituality(Mohamad & Sihes, 2019; Madrigal & Oracion, 2018). This variability underscores the need for empirical assessment of teachers’ awareness and practice of the SPS. Within the Philippine South Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco, three major schools—Don Bosco Technical Institute–Victorias (DBTI), St. Louis School–Don Bosco Dumaguete (SLS-DB), and Don Bosco Technical College Cebu (DBTC)—serve as key sites for the implementation of the Preventive System. Each school integrates academic rigor with spiritual formation, youth ministry, and technical education. However, differences in school culture, teacher demographics, and departmental structures may affect how the SPS is understood and practiced across these institutions. Scholars have pointed out that institutional ethos, leadership modeling, and teacher formation programs strongly shape the internalization of the SPS, yet consistency cannot be assumed (Day et al., 2009; Edkins, 2013). These varied institutional contexts make it important to evaluate the uniformity—or lack thereof—in educators’ application of the Preventive System. At the heart of the SPS is the teacher, whose instructional decisions, personal spirituality, and relational approach directly shape how Don Bosco’s pedagogy is lived out. Clark and Yinger’s (1977) Teacher Thinking Theory suggests that teachers’ cognitions—their beliefs, values, awareness, and reflective processes—drive their classroom behavior and pedagogical choices. This theory is particularly relevant to the SPS, where reflective practice, moral conviction, and affective presence are essential components. Teachers' awareness of the SPS influences how they enact reason, religion, and loving-kindness in day-to-day interactions such as discipline, guidance, and classroom management. However, empirical evidence suggests that awareness does not always lead to consistent practice, especially in values-based systems where personal dispositions and contextual factors play major roles (Pajares, 1992; Fang, 1996). The complexity of applying the SPS becomes more evident when considering contemporary challenges faced by teachers. Issues such as declining student religiosity, increased behavioral concerns, and the pressures of modern academic environments test the practicality of value-centered approaches. While the SPS offers a preventive method grounded in compassion and guidance, researchers caution that teachers often struggle with the religious dimension of their role or with sustaining loving-kindness amid heavy workloads and emotional stress (Jackson, 2018; Vojtáš, 2024). This tension between ideal and practice raises questions about how deeply educators internalize the SPS and how effectively they apply it across different school environments. Moreover, demographic variables such as age, sex, years of service, and department may influence the interpretation and application of key SPS principles. For example, studies indicate that younger teachers may demonstrate strong enthusiasm but inconsistent spiritual grounding, while veteran teachers may show deeper internalization but also potential fatigue (Day & Gu, 2009). Male and female teachers may also experience different expectations regarding pastoral presence or emotional expression, influencing their practice of loving-kindness or religious guidance (Gonzales & Cacho, 2019). Departmental differences—such as elementary versus high school—often shape the relational dynamics between teachers and learners, affecting opportunities to model or implement SPS principles. These contextual variations highlight the value of examining SPS awareness and practice across teacher groups. Despite the centrality of the Preventive System in Salesian schools, existing research points to a critical gap: few empirical studies examine both teachers’ awareness and their actual practice of the SPS simultaneously, especially in the Philippine South Province. Further, most existing works focus either on qualitative narratives or administrative evaluations rather than systematically measuring the relationship between awareness and practice. This gap makes Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 123 it difficult to determine whether Salesian teachers internalize the SPS conceptually, whether they apply it consistently, and whether demographic factors influence this alignment. Thus, this study seeks to address these gaps by assessing the level of awareness and extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System among basic education teachers in three Salesian schools in the Philippine South Province. By examining differences across demographic variables and determining the relationship between awareness and practice, the study aims to provide evidence-based insights that can strengthen teacher formation, ensure consistent application of the SPS, and inform future Salesianity programs. In doing so, the research contributes to both the scholarship on Catholic education and the practical enhancement of Salesian pedagogical identity. Methodology: This study employed a quantitative, descriptive-comparative, and correlational research design to examine the level of awareness and extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System (SPS) among basic education teachers in three Salesian schools in the Philippine South Province. A descriptive design allows an examination of variables as they naturally occur, providing an accurate portrayal of the current state of teachers’ awareness and practice levels (Williams, 2011). The comparative aspect of the study further enabled the analysis of potential differences across demographic groups such as age, sex, years of service, and department. Comparative designs are appropriate when the goal is to identify variations across naturally occurring categories (Leedy & Ormrod, 2019). Meanwhile, the correlational component sought to determine whether a statistically significant relationship exists between teachers’ awareness of the SPS and their extent of practice. Correlational designs are frequently used in educational research to determine the magnitude and direction of associations among variables without manipulating conditions (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). The study was conducted in three K–12 Salesian educational institutions located in Victorias City (Negros Occidental), Dumaguete City, and Cebu City. These schools represent the institutional landscape of the Salesian South Province, each operating under the educational philosophy of St. John Bosco and offering a blend of academic, pastoral, technical, and character formation programs. As part of an international network of Salesian schools, they are deeply rooted in the implementation of the Preventive System, making them ideal sites for assessing awareness and practice grounded in the pillars of reason, religion, and loving-kindness. The study population consisted of 138 teachers, from which a sample of 112 respondents was drawn using stratified random sampling. Stratification ensured proportional representation across the three schools—School A (n = 37), School B (n = 45), and School C (n = 30)—reflecting 33.03%, 40.18%, and 26.79% of the sample, respectively. This technique was appropriate given the structural differences across institutions and ensured that teacher subgroups were accurately represented (Etikan & Bala, 2017). The sample size was determined based on the total population and aimed to achieve a margin of error of approximately 5.1% and a high confidence level. Respondents were further grouped according to four demographic variables: age, sex, years of service, and department. This demographic profiling was essential to understanding whether structural and personal characteristics influence SPS awareness and practice. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted from Guiao (2009) and anchored on the three pillars of the Salesian Preventive System as articulated by Braido (2013)—reason, religion, and loving-kindness. The instrument consisted of two major parts: (1) demographic information, and (2) three subscales measuring awareness and practice of each SPS pillar. All items used a 5-point Likert scale, where higher scores indicated stronger awareness or more frequent practice. The instrument is widely used in SPS-related studies and aligns with teacher belief and behavior constructs (Pajares, 1992). To establish content validity, the instrument underwent evaluation by a 15-member panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), using Lawshe’s (1985) Content Validity Ratio (CVR) method. Each SME classified each item as essential, useful but not essential, or not essential. Although Lawshe’s minimum CVR for 15 panelists at the .05 significance level is .49, all items in this study obtained a CVR of 1.00, surpassing the threshold and indicating perfect expert agreement on item essentiality. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was also computed and yielded a rating of 1.00, demonstrating excellent overall content validity. Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 124 To assess instrument reliability, a pilot test was conducted with 30 teachers from one of the Salesian schools not included in the main sample. Using Cronbach’s alpha, the instrument generated a reliability coefficient of 0.959, which exceeds the acceptable standard of .70 and indicates excellent internal consistency (Tavakol & Dennick, 2011). Together, the validity and reliability tests confirm that the instrument is both conceptually sound and psychometrically robust. Data gathering procedures adhered to standard ethical and administrative protocols. Permission to conduct the study was secured from the School Rectors and Principals of the participating institutions. Once approval was granted, the researcher coordinated with subject area coordinators to distribute the questionnaires. Teachers were informed of the study’s objectives, procedures, potential benefits, and voluntary nature. Informed consent was obtained before administering the instrument, ensuring adherence to ethical principles of autonomy, confidentiality, and nonmaleficence (American Educational Research Association [AERA], 2011). Respondents accomplished the survey during free periods or after class hours. Completed questionnaires were collected, encoded, and subjected to statistical analysis. The study employed both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Mean and standard deviation were used to interpret the teachers’ level of awareness and extent of practice. To determine differences across demographic categories, Mann–Whitney U tests were applied for variables with two groups (e.g., sex), while Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for variables with three or more categories (e.g., age, years of service). These nonparametric tests were appropriate given the ordinal data structure and the likelihood of non-normal distribution (Field, 2018). To examine the association between awareness and practice, Spearman’s rank-order correlation was utilized. This method is suitable for ordinal data and identifies both the strength and direction of relationships between variables (Laerd Statistics, 2018). Results: Table 1 presents the respondents’ level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System (SPS) across its three core pillars—Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness. The data show consistently very high levels of awareness among Salesian educators in the three participating schools. The overall mean awareness score of 4.65 (sd = 0.507) indicates that teachers possess a strong and well-developed understanding of the SPS, regardless of their demographic profile. Table 1. Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System Areas Mean Standard Deviation Interpretation Reason 4.67 0.716 Very High Religion 4.63 0.517 Very High Loving-Kindness 4.66 0.479 Very High Overall 4.65 0.507 Very High As shown in Table 1, Salesian educators reported a very high level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System across all three pillars. Mean scores ranged from 4.63 to 4.67, all interpreted as “Very High,” resulting in an overall mean of 4.65. These findings indicate that respondents are highly aware of the SPS framework as implemented in their respective schools. Table 2. Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System by Age Group Area 20–30 yrs (n=58) 31–40 yrs (n=25) 41–50 yrs (n=17) 51+ yrs (n=12) x sd VI x sd VI x sd VI x sd VI Reason 4.61 0.918 VH 4.66 0.438 VH 4.8 0.352 VH 4.75 0.392 VH Religion 4.57 0.563 VH 4.58 0.577 VH 4.79 0.299 VH 4.76 0.342 VH Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 125 Loving-Kindness 4.62 0.511 VH 4.62 0.534 VH 4.79 0.34 VH 4.79 0.329 VH Overall 4.6 0.583 VH 4.62 0.491 VH 4.8 0.301 VH 4.77 0.337 VH Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VH = Very High Results in Table 2 show a very high level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System across all age groups. Overall means ranged from 4.60 to 4.80, with all groups consistently rated as “Very High.” Among the groups, teachers aged 41–50 years recorded the highest overall awareness mean (4.80), while the youngest group (20–30 years) posted the lowest, though still very high, mean of 4.60. Table 3. Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System When Grouped According to Sex Area Male x sd VI Female x sd VI Reason 4.62 0.441 VH 4.69 0.812 VH Religion 4.67 0.462 VH 4.61 0.542 VH Loving-Kindness 4.67 0.408 VH 4.66 0.51 VH Overall 4.65 0.41 VH 4.65 0.548 VH Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VH = Very High Table 3 shows that both male and female teachers demonstrated a very high level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System across all three pillars. Overall mean scores for both groups were identical at 4.65, indicating comparable levels of awareness regardless of sex. Mean scores for Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness also remained consistently high for both groups, with only slight variations in standard deviations. Table 4. Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System When Grouped According to Years of Service Area Less than 5 years 5–10 years More than 10 years x sd VI x sd VI x sd VI Reason 4.62 0.904 VH 4.73 0.415 VH 4.73 0.398 VH Religion 4.6 0.535 VH 4.64 0.54 VH 4.68 0.472 VH Loving-Kindness 4.62 0.492 VH 4.72 0.44 VH 4.69 0.49 VH Overall 4.61 0.566 VH 4.7 0.431 VH 4.7 0.438 VH Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VH = Very High Table 4 shows that teachers across all lengths of service demonstrated a very high level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System. Overall means ranged from 4.61 to 4.70, with the highest awareness reported among teachers with 5–10 years and more than 10 years of service (both at 4.70). All three SPS pillars—Reason, Religion, and LovingKindness—were consistently rated "Very High" across the groups. Standard deviations were highest among those with less than five years of service, indicating greater variability in awareness among newer teachers. Table 5. Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System When Grouped According to Department Area Elementary High School x sd VI x sd VI Reason 4.63 0.503 VH 4.68 0.799 VH Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 126 Religion 4.64 0.568 VH 4.63 0.496 VH Loving-Kindness 4.65 0.537 VH 4.67 0.452 VH Overall 4.64 0.506 VH 4.66 0.511 VH Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VH = Very High Table 5 shows that both elementary and high school teachers reported a very high level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System. Overall mean scores were similar for both groups—4.64 for elementary and 4.66 for high school teachers. Across all three pillars (Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness), both groups consistently reported “Very High” awareness, with only minimal differences in mean scores and standard deviations. Table 6. Extent of Practice of the Salesian Preventive System as a Whole Areas Mean Standard Deviation Interpretation Reason 4.56 0.446 Very Great Religion 4.44 0.597 Very Great Loving-Kindness 4.61 0.482 Very Great Overall 4.53 0.447 Very Great Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VG = Very Great As shown in Table 6, Salesian educators demonstrated a very great extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System, with an overall mean of 4.53. All three pillars—Reason (4.56), Religion (4.44), and Loving-Kindness (4.61)— were rated “Very Great,” indicating that teachers consistently apply SPS principles in their daily interactions and professional practices. Among the three areas, Loving-Kindness recorded the highest mean (4.61), while Religion had the lowest (4.44), though still within the “Very Great” range. Table 7 shows that all age groups demonstrated a very great extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System. Overall mean scores ranged from 4.49 to 4.65, with all three SPS pillars rated "Very Great" across age categories. The highest overall practice was observed among teachers aged 41–50 years and 51 years and above (both 4.65), while the lowest overall practice mean was recorded among the 20–30 years group (4.49). Despite minor variations, results indicate consistently strong practice of SPS principles across all age groups. Table 7. Extent of Practice of the Salesian Preventive System When Grouped According to Age Area 20–30 yrs 31–40 yrs 41–50 yrs 51+ yrs x sd VI x sd VI x sd VI x sd VI Reason 4.53 0.475 VG 4.5 0.464 VG 4.68 0.356 VG 4.64 0.373 VG Religion 4.33 0.643 VG 4.44 0.62 VG 4.57 0.453 VG 4.73 0.365 VG Loving-Kindness 4.61 0.509 VG 4.64 0.502 VG 4.7 0.405 VG 4.58 0.445 VG Overall 4.49 0.472 VG 4.5 0.463 VG 4.65 0.377 VG 4.65 0.37 VG Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VG = Very Great Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 127 Table 8 shows that both male and female teachers exhibited a very great extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System. Overall mean scores were highly comparable between males (4.55) and females (4.53). Each SPS pillar— Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness—was also rated “Very Great” by both groups, indicating consistent application of SPS principles regardless of sex. Table 8. Extent of Practice of the Salesian Preventive System When Grouped According to Sex Area Male x sd VI Female x sd VI Reason 4.56 0.367 VG 4.55 0.479 VG Religion 4.41 0.682 VG 4.45 0.558 VG Loving-Kindness 4.66 0.39 VG 4.59 0.519 VG Overall 4.55 0.408 VG 4.53 0.465 VG Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VG = Very Great As shown in Table 9, respondents across all lengths of service demonstrated a very great extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System. Overall means ranged from 4.52 to 4.59, all interpreted as “Very Great.” Teachers with 5–10 years of service reported the highest overall practice mean (4.59), followed by those with less than five years and more than ten years (both 4.52). All three SPS pillars—Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness—were consistently rated within the “Very Great” range across service groups. Table 9. Extent of Practice of the Salesian Preventive System When Grouped According to Years of Service Area Less than 5 years 5–10 years More than 10 years x sd VI x sd VI x sd VI Reason 4.51 0.46 VG 4.66 0.378 VG 4.54 0.471 VG Religion 4.39 0.588 VG 4.48 0.689 VG 4.48 0.542 VG Loving-Kindness 4.64 0.497 VG 4.63 0.411 VG 4.53 0.513 VG Overall 4.52 0.441 VG 4.59 0.446 VG 4.52 0.472 VG Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VG = Very Great As shown in Table 10, both elementary and high school teachers reported a very great extent of practice of the Salesian Preventive System. The overall mean for elementary teachers was 4.57, slightly higher than the 4.52 recorded for high school teachers. All three pillars—Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness—were consistently rated “Very Great” by both groups, with only minor variations in mean scores and standard deviations. Table 10. Extent of Practice of the Salesian Preventive SystemWhen Grouped According to Department Area Elementary High School x sd VI x sd VI Reason 4.58 0.459 VG 4.55 0.442 VG Religion 4.54 0.536 VG 4.38 0.62 VG Loving-Kindness 4.59 0.492 VG 4.62 0.48 VG Overall 4.57 0.451 VG 4.52 0.446 VG Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 128 Legend: x = mean; sd = standard deviation; VI = verbal interpretation; VG = Very Great Table 11 shows the results of comparative tests performed to determine whether significant differences existed in teachers’ level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System in the area of Reason when grouped according to demographic profile. The p-values for age (0.789), sex (0.693), years of service (0.715), and department (0.713) all exceeded the 0.05 significance level. Accordingly, all differences were found to be not significant, and the null hypothesis was accepted for each demographic variable. Table 11. Difference in Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System in the Area of Reason When Grouped According to Demographic Profile Profile Mean Standard Deviation p-value Significance @ 0.05 Status of Hypothesis Age 0.789 not significant accept 20–30 (n = 58) 4.61 0.918 31–40 (n = 25) 4.66 0.438 41–50 (n = 17) 4.8 0.352 51+ (n = 12) 4.75 0.392 Sex 0.693 not significant accept Male (n = 35) 4.62 0.441 Female (n = 77) 4.69 0.812 Years of Service 0.715 not significant accept Less than 5 years (n = 60) 4.62 0.904 5–10 years (n = 24) 4.73 0.415 More than 10 years (n = 28) 4.73 0.398 Department 0.713 not significant accept Elementary (n = 36) 4.63 0.503 High School (n = 76) 4.68 0.799 Table 12 shows the comparative results for teachers’ level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System in the area of Religion across demographic categories. The p-values for age (0.342), sex (0.522), years of service (0.809), and department (0.916) were all greater than the 0.05 significance level. Therefore, no significant differences were found among demographic groups, and the null hypothesis was accepted for all variables. Table 12. Difference in Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System in the Area of Religion When Grouped According to Demographic Profile Profile Mean Standard Deviation p-value Significance @ 0.05 Status of Hypothesis Age 0.342 not significant accept 20–30 (n = 58) 4.57 0.563 31–40 (n = 25) 4.58 0.577 Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 129 Profile Mean Standard Deviation p-value Significance @ 0.05 Status of Hypothesis 41–50 (n = 17) 4.79 0.299 51+ (n = 12) 4.76 0.342 Sex 0.522 not significant accept Male (n = 35) 4.67 0.462 Female (n = 77) 4.61 0.542 Years of Service 0.809 not significant accept Less than 5 years (n = 60) 4.62 0.535 5–10 years (n = 24) 4.6 0.54 More than 10 years (n = 28) 4.68 0.472 Department 0.916 not significant accept Elementary (n = 36) 4.64 0.568 High School (n = 76) 4.63 0.496 Table 13 shows that there were no significant differences in the level of awareness of the Salesian Preventive System in the area of Loving-Kindness when respondents were grouped according to age (p = 0.403), sex (p = 0.549), years of service (p = 0.651), and department (p = 0.828). All p-values exceeded the 0.05 significance threshold, leading to acceptance of the null hypothesis for each demographic factor. Table 13. Difference in Level of Awareness of the Salesian Preventive System in the Area of LovingKindness When Grouped According to Demographic Profile Profile Mean Standard Deviation p-value Significance @ 0.05 Status of Hypothesis Age 0.403 not significant accept 20–30 (n = 58) 4.62 0.511 31–40 (n = 25) 4.62 0.534 41–50 (n = 17) 4.79 0.34 51+ (n = 12) 4.79 0.329 Sex 0.549 not significant accept Male (n = 35) 4.67 0.408 Female (n = 77) 4.66 0.51 Years of Service 0.651 not significant accept Less than 5 years (n = 60) 4.62 0.492 5–10 years (n = 24) 4.72 0.44 More than 10 years (n = 28) 4.7 0.49 Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 136 The study also found strong, positive, and significant correlations between teachers’ awareness and their practice of the SPS. Higher understanding was associated with greater consistency in applying SPS principles. This aligns with theories of teacher cognition, which posit that beliefs and knowledge strongly influence teacher behavior. In Salesian contexts, this means that teachers who fully understand the ethos of Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness are more likely to embody these principles in their day-to-day interactions with students. Overall, the findings affirm that Salesian educators in the Philippine South Province possess a well-internalized grasp of Don Bosco’s Preventive System and translate it meaningfully into practice. The consistency of responses across demographic groups underscores the strength of the schools’ shared formation and communal identity. At the same time, areas such as the practice of the Religion pillar and the slightly lower scores of younger teachers highlight opportunities for further strengthening formation programs. The study contributes empirical evidence supporting the continued relevance and vitality of the SPS in contemporary Salesian education. Based on the study’s findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are proposed: 1. Strengthen Ongoing Formation Programs Given the strong correlation between awareness and practice, schools should continue and further enhance regular formation sessions on the SPS. Programs should integrate reflection, case analysis, pastoral scenarios, and opportunities for lived application of the pillars of Reason, Religion, and Loving-Kindness. 2. Provide Targeted Mentoring for Early-Career Teachers Newer and younger teachers reported slightly lower (though still very high) levels of awareness and practice. Schools may implement mentorship programs pairing experienced Salesian educators with newer staff to deepen understanding, build confidence, and strengthen integration of SPS principles into daily practice. 3. Enhance Training in the Spiritual Dimension of the SPS While all pillars scored “Very Great,” the Religion pillar consistently had the lowest practice means. Schools may strengthen programs related to spiritual guidance, catechetical formation, sacramental preparation, and accompaniment training to support teachers in confidently fulfilling the spiritual component of Salesian education. 4. Sustain and Nurture the Shared Mission Identity The absence of significant demographic differences in awareness and practice indicates robust institutional culture. Schools should continue community-building initiatives, cross-departmental collaboration, and EPC-wide formation to maintain and deepen this shared identity. 5. Institutionalize Reflective Practice Among Teachers Encouraging structured reflection sessions—through learning circles, pastoral sharing, or retreat experiences—can enhance teacher self-awareness and help bridge the gap between understanding and lived practice. 6. Conduct Classroom Observations and Qualitative Follow-Up To complement the quantitative findings, qualitative approaches such as classroom observations, focus groups, and interviews may be conducted to capture richer insights into how SPS principles are enacted in real settings. 7. Expand the Research to Other Salesian Schools and Contexts Volume 2, Issue no. 11 | 137 Future studies could involve more schools across different provinces or countries to compare patterns and better understand contextual influences on SPS awareness and practice. 8. Explore Longitudinal Effects of Formation Programs Long-term studies tracking teachers’ SPS awareness and practice over several years may provide deeper insight into how formation experiences shape educator development and mission fidelity. References: AERA Code of Ethics: American Educational Research Association approved by the AERA Council February 2011. (2011). 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