SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION FOR PROMOTING A HAPPY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR UPPER PRIMARY STUDENTS IN SMALL-SIZED SCHOOLS UNDER THE MUANG KAN SCHOOL CLUSTER, SISAKET PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE 4

Abstract

This research aimed to: (1) investigate the current and desirable conditions of school administration in promoting a happy learning environment for upper primary school students in small-sized schools within the Mueang Kan School Cluster under the Office of Si Sa Ket Primary Educational Service Area 4; and (2) explore development guidelines for enhancing such school administration practices. The sample consisted of 18 homeroom teachers and 121 upper primary school students, yielding a total of 139 participants. The research instrument was a 30-item questionnaire, with all items achieving an Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) of 1.00. The reliability coefficients were .976 for the current-condition questionnaire and .978 for the desirable-condition questionnaire. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings revealed that: (1) the current condition of school administration for promoting a happy learning environment was at a high level overall (  = 3.52, S.D. = .462), whereas the desirable condition was at the highest level (  = 4.61, S.D. = .151); and (2) the proposed development guidelines emphasized the application of the Whole School Approach to Safeguarding in order to enhance students’ safety and confidence. This approach should incorporate comprehensive preventive measures addressing students’ physical, psychological, and social well-being, alongside the development of confidential digital reporting and counseling systems. Such systems would facilitate timely assistance, strengthen trust among learners, and foster a safe, supportive, and happy learning environment.