CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND COMPETENCY BASED PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS IN BAMBANG 2 DISTRICT

Critical thinking skills and competency-based performance are vital for improving educational and professional efficiency. These are useful in designing targeted learning strategies, making sure that individuals are not only knowledgeable but also proficient in applying their skills in real-world scenario. However, there remains a substantial gap in locally based research pertaining to this context. This study investigated the relationship between critical thinking skills and competency based performance of public school teachers in Bambang 2 District, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. A quantitative research design was used employing an evaluative approach, involving 30 teachers purposively selected from the district. A validated survey questionnaire, tested for reliability (Chronbach’s Alpha, α=).05), utilized Likert scale with 4 being the highest and 1 being the poorest, to measure various dimensions of critical thinking and the respondents’ Professional and Management Evaluation System (PMES) specifically their Classroom Observation Tool (COT) rating sheets were collected in order to get their evaluation in terms of their competency-based performance. The weighted average and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient were used in analyzing the data. The result shows that there is no significant correlation between critical thinking skills and competency-based performance. The study shows that teacher-respondents exhibit strong critical thinking skills and demonstrate outstanding level of competency in essential instructional areas, suggesting that teacher training and professional development programs are efficiently strengthening their capabilities and performance. This study contributes to understand the importance of current professional development that focuses on essential competencies and encourages teacher education programs to include a wider set of skills that can directly improve teaching performance. Furthermore, it opens avenues for further research into other factors that may impact teaching performance beyond critical thinking. Keywords: Critical thinking skills, Competency-based performance, Bambang 2 District