Beyond Grades: Teachers’ Strictness and Pupils’ Academic Performance and Core Values among Intermediate Grade Learners

This study examined the relationship between teachers’ strictness and the academic performance and core values of intermediate-grade pupils in a selected public elementary school in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, during the school year 2025–2026. Employing a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design, the study involved 194 pupils from Grades 4 to 6 across 12 sections. Data on perceived teacher strictness and core values were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire, while academic grades were obtained from official school records. The instrument underwent validation by three Master Teachers and pilot testing among 30 pupils, yielding a reported Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.898. Results revealed that pupils demonstrated a strong practice of the Department of Education's core values (M = 4.48, SD = 0.56) and perceived their teachers as very strict (M = 4.49, SD = 0.58), while their academic performance was classified as satisfactory (M = 84.08, SD = 3.87). Correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between teacher strictness and academic performance (r = 0.029, p = 0.687). However, a weak but statistically significant positive relationship was observed between teacher strictness and core values (r = 0.296, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that perceived teacher strictness was associated with pupils’ reported practice of core values but not with their academic achievement. Nevertheless, the findings should be interpreted cautiously because pupils were grouped within sections and the analysis did not account for classroom-level clustering. The study highlights the importance of balancing classroom discipline with supportive instructional practices while recognizing that the observed relationships do not establish causation.