Exploring Teachers' Perception on The Implementations of Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT)

The Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) is a framework developed by the Department of Education to provide a comprehensive picture of learners’ profiles by integrating academic performance, socio-emotional development, and contextual factors. Its purpose is to inform individualized educational initiatives and strengthen inclusive practices through collaborative data gathering from teachers, parents, and specialists. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of Grade 1 teachers in the Schools Division of Calamba City regarding MFAT implementation and to develop a proposed framework that enhances its relevance to both policy and practice. This study employed qualitative research design. Eight teachers were purposively selected to participate through reflective narratives and document analysis. While MFAT is acknowledged as a catalyst for inclusive education and learner-centered pedagogy, its implementation is hampered by time constraints, paperwork burden, and resource limits. Teachers adapted through teamwork, contextual adaptability, and self-directed learning, but they underlined the importance of improved institutional support, ongoing training, and technology integration to expedite operations. The validation of Bautista's MFAT Framework for Inclusive and Transformative Instruction demonstrated its dependability and relevance, emphasizing its capacity to integrate global equity ideals with local classroom realities. To summarize, MFAT presents both problems and potential, acting as a road toward responsive, inclusive, and revolutionary education.