Pa ge 1 Pa ge 72 American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation (AJMRI) Implementation of Student Internship Program in the Philippines (SIPP) of Northwest Samar State University: Inputs for Improvement Louiesito A. Magnaye, Jr.1* Volume 1 Issue 3, Year 2022 ISSN: 2158-8155 (Online), 2832-4854 (Print) DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v1i3.388 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Article Information ABSTRACT Received: July 15, 2022 Accepted: July 18, 2022 Published: July 20, 2022 The study aimed to analyze and determine the effectiveness of the implementation of Northwest Samar State University based on CMO No. 104 s. 2017. I used a descriptive-eval- uative research design employing the use of an e-questionnaire to gather relevant data. These data were analyzed and collated with suitable statistical tools and were interpreted and dis- cussed consequently. The results of the study revealed that the SIPP coordinators’ and stu- dent interns’ perception of the implementation of the SIPP is “effective”. However, there is a significant difference in the perceptions of the two groups of respondents. Irregular inspection/monitoring of coordinators because of the difficulty in the mobility of the co- ordinators is considered a problem encountered in the implementation. The findings of the study suggested that the University should implement more services for the effective and efficient implementation of SIPP. Keywords SIPP, Internship program, Evaluation Study, Implementation, Effectiveness 1 Northwest Samar State University, Philippines * Corresponding author’s e-mail: louiesito.magnaye@nwssu.edu.ph INTRODUCTION Authentic learning experiences proved so much as a vital opportunity for students to go beyond practicing higher order thinking skills. The last stage of educational pursuit in higher education is the application of theoretical knowledge through an internship. The internship provides learners the avenue to get a first-hand experience of how it is really to be in the world of work. By offering internships, universities and colleges took the lead in making internships more enticing and successful for students. The main goals of an internship are to develop professional self-awareness and work values, observe team interactions in a professional work environment, participate in a representative range of professional activities, and gain real-world experience based on the interpretation and application of theoretical knowledge (Hodson, 2010). The majority of the time, internships are seen as crucial co- curricular experiences that benefit students, teachers, and businesses. Additionally, it enables instructors to create settings where students may put their academic knowledge to use in real-world situations while simultaneously giving students access to invaluable professional networks and experience. Then, it provides firms with a constant flow of new personnel with innovative ideas from academia (Hora, Chen, Parrott, & Her, 2019; National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2018; Maertz, Stoeberl, & Marks, 2014). Furthermore, undergraduate internship training gives students the chance to advance their academic understanding, improve their soft skills, and learn other abilities that are crucial for employment after graduation (Sahrir, et al., 2016). Students who enroll in higher education programs with a practical component have the opportunity to learn about their chosen field of study and apply it outside of the classroom (Deuster, 2009). According to Tackett et al. (2001), internships have gained importance in education over the past ten years as a result of the many benefits they provide to students, including networking opportunities with other students from other institutions while at the host training institution and the opportunity to gain experience and career-related guidance. Furthermore, many undergraduate students are interested in internship programs because of their desire to gain work experience while receiving academic credits (Novotorov, 2001). Additionally, internships are becoming more and more crucial for business higher education since they enable students to connect their academic work with the business sector (Ivana, 2019). An internship program offers the host training establishments (HTE) the opportunity to begin training future employees while they are still in school. As a matter of fact, internship is one of the best forms of experience learning in the field of hospitality education. Nonetheless, to be successful it needs students, employers, and educators to work together (Yiu & Law, 2012). Internship benefits range from future workers joining real work life, achieving an organizational culture, and improving job-related skills (Hernandez, et al., 2014). Nowadays the value of internships is increasingly recognized by local and regional universities, employers, and students (Novotorov, 2001). Along these notions of the previous studies, it is undeniable that an internship program hones the students to become well-rounded individuals. In the Philippines, several policies had been established to regulate the management of Internship Programs. The initial policy for the student internship programs came with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 23 Series of 2009 or the “Guidelines for Student Internship Program in the Philippines (SIPP) for All Programs with Practicum Subject.” The CMO https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v1i3.388 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri mailto:louiesito.magnaye@nwssu.edu.ph Pa ge 73 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 espouses a number of offices and functions subsumed under SIPP Implementation. This system was later revised in CMO No. 104 s. 2017 titled, “Revised Guidelines for Student Internship Program in the Philippines (SIPP) for All Programs.” The CMO No. 104 defines an Internship as “the practical application of classroom learning to the actual in a regular work environment such as but not limited to commercial and industrial services, government or non-government agencies.” It further defines an Internship as synonymous with practicum, field practice, and On-the-Job Training but not synonymous with Apprenticeship and Learnership, as defined by Republic Act 7796. Article 7 of the CMO No. 104, CHED encourages different higher education institutions to conduct evaluation studies on the Internship Program and to see through its dissemination and implementation. This provided an impetus to pursue this study. Then, the end-view of this would serve as a basis for developing a program improvement plan for SIPP Implementation for Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU). Additionally, this would be a way to help the university’s different initiatives as it works to build morally strong men and women with the knowledge and abilities necessary to meet local and global development needs. Paradigm of the Study The Input-Process-Output (IPO) model served as a compass of this study as seen in the diagram below. The Input components include the profile of the respondents in terms of age; academic rank; the number of student interns handled; the highest educational attainment; and training relevant to SIPP. While in the second box which represents the Process, contained the evaluation procedures on the program implementation’s effectiveness in terms of Conducted Activities Relevant to SIPP; Obligations and Responsibilities; Monitoring and Evaluation; and Grievance Machinery. The problems encountered in the implementation were also identified. Profiling, use of survey questionnaires, and data analysis were used as evaluation procedures. Then, the third box shows the output of the study, a proposed program improvement plan that was designed as a potential help for the University in the effective and efficient implementation of the said program. Research Questions This research directed to evaluate the effectiveness of the SIPP in Northwest Samar State University with the criteria indicated in CMO No. 104, series of 2017 thereby formulating inputs for program improvement. Specifically, the following questions were asked in this study: 1. What is the profile of the SIPP Coordinators of NwSSU in terms of the age, academic rank, number of student interns under each program handled, highest educational attainment, and number of training relevant to SIPP? 2. What is the level of effectiveness of SIPP in NwSSU as perceived by SIPP Coordinators and Student Interns in terms of conducted activities relevant to SIPP; obligations and responsibilities; monitoring and evaluation; and grievance machinery? 3. Is there a significant difference in the perception of the respondents on the effectiveness of SIPP in NwSSU? 4. What are the issues and concerns encountered in the SIPP’s implementation? Null Hypothesis Ho: There is no significant difference in the perception of the respondents on the effectiveness of the SIPP implementation. LITERATURE REVIEW Universities should continually improve themselves to better serve the nation by producing graduates with relevant training and enriched competencies. It is then https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 74 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 the responsibility of the University to initiate programs and projects that will promote holistic development in its students, thereby, enabling them to perform their tasks as assets of the future workforce to their optimum potential. With these, training such as in the internship program must be evaluated so that its implementation will become effective and efficient. There are a lot of studies about the assessment of the internship program’s effectiveness. According to the findings of Bukaliya’s (2012) study, the internship program was successful in that it improved students’ learning and understanding of topics connected to their various academic fields while also helping to boost their enthusiasm levels. He also emphasized that few organizations have the qualified staff necessary to contribute significantly to successful and fulfilling student internships, that staff at the Zimbabwe Open University did not visit internship sites, and that supervision could not be considered effective for some programs, particularly those in the social sciences. Along with these studies, Jackel (2011) cited the following guidelines for an efficient internship program: (1) Prior to the student’s participation at the placement location, the sponsoring university department and placement organization should provide some form of training program and/or classroom preparation; (2) Internship program coordinators should be accessible to the student intern for meetings as needed; (3) This might be achieved by expanding the six-hour course credit option; (4) Endorsing the internship in criminology course expressly for students who wish to work in corrections because the course’s sponsoring organization expects that it will effectively improve employment; and (5) In order to determine whether a program is effective, it is crucial to focus on the number of hours spent at the site, advance planning, and accessibility to the program coordinator. These factors are not only the most reliable predictors across the course of this study, but they also have an even greater impact when combined with the empowerment effects. International training and experiences for students are recommended in the study of Novotorov (2001) to develop special programs to meet the needs of internationalization. There are 11 areas that should receive more attention when conducting internships, according to Marsono, Sugandi, Tuwoso, and Purnomo (2017). Student data collection and clear assignments, providing lodging places in line with the study program, allowing students to complete jobs, giving students orderly hours, allowing students to take holidays, providing lunch for internships, industries using K3, providing time conformity with the university, and students providing feedback to the industry are some of these areas. Students should also be able to work under the supervision of more than one supervisor in order to increase the internship program’s effectiveness offered by businesses and educational institutions. Karunaratne and Perera (2019) recommended that the administrative and academic supervisory role of universities should be connected with the industry in order to develop close relationships in order to provide a successful internship program. Further, students should build a strong relationship with industry and organizations, because they are the middle source of the internship program. Further consideration should be paid to developing internship programs that can help students learn new skills and promote ability development rather than relying solely on providing the students with corporate experience (Suri & Sharma, 2013). A qualitative study of Matriano (2017) revealed that interns had encountered five different types of experiences: (1) denial of rights and discrimination; (2) increased independence and self-esteem; (3) support from significant others; (4) being challenged, focused, and determined to work; and (5) positivism. In like manner, Anoyo, et al. (2015) found that the respondents agreed that their on-the-job preparation should be influenced by individual causes, university support, and organizational climate. Moreover, the study recommended that the OJT coordinators conduct frequent student-trainee visits to ensure that on-the-job training attendance and timeliness are observed and practiced. Moreover, the study by Roa (2010) disclosed that possibilities for employment can be recognized by analyzing occupations and assessing the knowledge and skills needed. Once it has been completed, career advancements may be planned. Since these career pathways have been created and employees have been recognized on career ladders, it is now feasible to inventory the occupations and decide where individuals with the requisite qualifications are required now or in the future. The researcher believed that the above-cited literature gave light to the present study and enlightened the readers with the different variables that were included in this study. The researcher further believed that the previously cited literature gave aid in identifying the research gaps which were the main variables of this present study – the effectiveness of the SIPP Implementation. METHODS Research Design A descriptive-evaluative research design is utilized by the researcher in the conduct of the study relative to the effectiveness of the implementation of SIPP at NwSSU. The descriptive research deals with the currently existing condition and goes beyond simple data collection (Armedilla, et al., 2011). An attempt was made to describe and answer different questions about the subject under study through the collection of data. Respondents of the Study Two groups of respondents were involved in the conduct of the study: the SIPP coordinators group which is composed of the university SIPP coordinator and the five (5) SIPP college coordinators of each college; and https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 75 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 the student’s group with fifty (50) members randomly selected from the five colleges who been identified to have just gone through the internship program during the January to May 2019 semester. The SIPP Coordinators were purposively identified then the student-respondents were conveniently selected. Research Instrument Data were collected using a checklist according to CMO No. 104, series of 2017, and an electronic questionnaire composed of questions the researcher created to describe the program’s effectiveness. Respondents were asked to answer an e-questionnaire that was made through Google Forms. There were two types of questionnaires used. One was fielded to the coordinators and one was for students. For the coordinators, the questionnaire was composed of three parts; the first one was the demographic profile of the respondents. It was followed by the Likert scale that will answer how effective the SIPP is. The last part was open-ended questions on the issues and problems they have experienced as far as the implementation of the program is concerned. For the students, only parts two and three of the coordinator’s questionnaire were present. Data Analysis Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics following a thorough tally, encoding, and interpretation of all relevant information. The SIPP’s effectiveness was determined by the weighted mean. Data was interpreted using the following scale (Hernandez, et al., 2014): 4.50 - 5.00 = Highly Effective (HE); 3.50 - 4.49 = Effective (E); 2.50 - 3.49 = Moderately Effective (ME); 1.50 - 2.49 = Less Effective (LE); 1.00 - 1.49 = Not Effective (NE). The study’s hypothesis was further tested using a T-test for two independent samples. Moreover, themes were identified as to the responses to the problems met in the implementation of the SIPP. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The following presents the textual and tabular presentations of the treated data in the study. It further discusses, analyzes, and interprets the results based on the appropriate and suggested statistical tools used. The demographic profile of the respondents is shown in Table 1. There was 66.67 percent of respondents between the ages of 41-50 years old, indicating a majority of respondents were middle-aged; 33.33 percent of respondents were between the ages of 31-40 years old. The mean age of SIPP Coordinators was 41.5. The data suggest that most of the coordinators were in middle age. This concludes that the respondents were neither too old nor too young to undertake their duties and responsibilities as coordinators for SIPP. It is followed by the respondent’s academic rank. It can be gleaned from the table that there are 2 (33.33%) respondents who have the rank of Instructor 1 and the rest already attained the rank of Assistant Professor. 2 (33.33%) respondents were Assistant Professor 1 and 1 (16.67%) respondent was Assistant Professor 2, and the other 1 (16.67%) was an Assistant Professor 3. These data imply that the coordinators are experienced enough in their field based on their academic ranks. The table also shows the educational attainment of the SIPP coordinators. The data stipulate that there are 4 (66.67%) with master’s degrees and 2 (33.33%) doctorate degree holders. Consequently, these data imply that the coordinators are much more qualified to be designated as coordinators since they have the basic qualifications in higher education as Master’s degree holders. Lastly, the distribution of the number of relevant training attended by the coordinators relevant to SIPP was also present in the table. The majority of them do not have relevant training attended (5 or 83.33%), while only 1 (16.67%) has completed relevant training for 2 days. Therefore, the data revealed that coordinators need to be confined to relevant training for SIPP Implementation. Table 2 disclosed the data on the number of student interns handled by the College SIPP Coordinators by the program. As is emphasized in the table, the College of Management has the highest number of student-interns. On the other hand, the College of Engineering and Technology has the least number of student-interns. Table 3 shows the effectiveness of the implementation of SIPP in terms of conducted relevant activities. This implies that the respondents rated the implementation of the SIPP in terms of conducted activities as effective with a composite mean of 4.07 and an SD of 0.91. The indicator, “A pre-internship orientation/training on work environment issues, including, but not limited to, proper work ethics and laws against sexual harassment is conducted for the student interns, as a prerequisite to their deployment to internship venues”, received the highest rating as to the effectiveness with a combined mean of 4.71 and an SD of 0.55. This is evident in the documented orientation on pre-internship at the University. On the other hand, the indicator, “The CHED Guidelines Table 1: Percentage Distribution of Respondents’ Profile PROFILE f % AGE 31-40 2 33.33 41-50 4 66.67 ACADEMIC RANK Instructor 1 2 33.33 Assistant Professor 1 2 33.33 Assistant Professor 2 1 16.67 Assistant Professor 3 1 16.67 HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Master’s Degree 4 66.67 Doctorate Degree 2 33.33 TRAINING RELEVANT TO SIPP (in days) 0 5 83.33 1-5 1 16.67 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 76 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 Table 2: Number of Student Interns Handled Under Each Program PROGRAM Number of Student Interns Rank COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY BS in Architectural Technology 38 BS in Industrial Technology 56 TOTAL 94 5 COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT BS in Business Administration 86 BS in Office Administration 230 BS in Tourism Management 155 TOTAL 471 1 COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Bachelor of Agricultural Technology 80 BS in Criminology 110 BS in Community Development 59 TOTAL 249 3 COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES BS in Information Technology 111 BS in Information System 39 TOTAL 150 4 COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Bachelor of Elementary Education 231 Bachelor of Secondary Education 195 TOTAL 426 2 Table 3: Effectiveness of SIPP in terms of Conducted Relevant Activities INDICATOR Student Interns SIPP Coordinator TOTAL M M Int SD M Int SD M Int SD 1. The University's local internship policies and guidelines on selection, placement, monitoring, and assessment of student interns are formulated well. 4.19 E 0.78 3.50 E 1.05 3.84 E 0.92 2. The CHED Guidelines on student internship are displayed in conspicuous places in the university for students’ guidance and reference. 4.11 E 0.86 2.83 ME 1.83 3.47 ME 1.35 3. The Host Training Establishments (HTE) are selected systematically to ensure the acceptability of internship plans and internship venues in order to protect student interns’ interests. 4.41 E 0.81 4.17 E 0.75 4.29 E 0.78 4. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the HTE is crafted and executed well. 4.31 E 0.75 4.00 E 0.90 4.16 E 0.83 5. Medical and dental services and certification by a licensed doctor and dentist are provided to the student interns. 3.74 E 1.03 3.67 E 1.21 3.71 E 1.12 6. A pre-internship orientation/training on work environment issues, including, but not limited to, proper work ethics and laws against sexual harassment are conducted for the student interns, as a prerequisite to their deployment to internship venues. 4.59 HE 0.69 4.83 HE 0.41 4.71 HE 0.55 7. The insurance coverage including travel, medical, and health is provided to the student interns. 3.48 E 1.22 4.50 HE 0.55 3.99 E 0.89 8. The internship contract and/or agreement with the participating HTE is forged and executed well. 4.24 E 0.87 4.50 HE 0.84 4.37 E 0.86 COMPOSITE MEAN 4.13 E 0.88 4.00 E 0.94 4.07 E 0.91 Legend: 4.50 – 5.00 = Highly Effective (HE); 3.50 – 4.49 = Effective (E); 2.50 – 3.49 = Moderately Effective (ME); 1.50 – 2.49 = Less Effective (LE); 1.00 – 1.49 = Not Effective (NE) on student internship is displayed in conspicuous places in the University for students’ guidance and reference”, received the lowest rating as to effectiveness, as a matter of fact, it received “moderately effective” with a combined mean of 3.47 and an SD of 1.35. It is also noted that there is a high SD for this indicator, the response of the student interns differs from the coordinators. This implies that student-interns may not be aware that the guidelines are not posted in conspicuous places in the University. As a matter of fact, the coordinators have rated it with a mean https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 77 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 of 2.83, something that will tell us that the indicator is not practiced by the University. Another indicator, “The insurance coverage to include travel, medical and health is provided to the student interns”, although it received a rating of “effective”, notice that there’s a difference in the response of the student interns and the coordinators. The student-interns rated it with a mean of 3.48 whereas the coordinators rated it with a mean of 4.50. This data implies that the student-interns may not be aware that they are covered with an insurance package. Further, one indicator, “Medical and dental services and certification by a licensed doctor and dentist are provided to the student interns”, although rated “effective”, has received the second to the lowest rating (M = 3.71, SD = 1.12). This data tells us that there’s a loose implementation of this indicator. The effectiveness of the implementation of SIPP in terms of obligations and responsibilities is disclosed Table 4: Effectiveness of SIPP in terms of Obligations and Responsibilities INDICATOR Student Interns SIPP Coordinator TOTAL M Int SD M Int SD M Int SD 1. There is coordination with the college deans and other authorized school administrators for the purpose of the internship orientation. 4.54 HE 0.75 4.00 E 0.90 4.27 E 0.83 2. The University SIPP Coordinator performs his/her obligations and responsibilities well. 4.24 E 0.87 4.00 E 0.90 4.12 E 0.89 3. The College SIPP coordinator holding the program performs his/her obligations and responsibilities well. 4.28 E 0.86 4.67 HE 0.52 4.47 E 0.69 4. The tasks (duties and responsibilities) given to the student interns during the entire duration of the internship program are essential to the fulfillment of/her internship plan. 4.48 E 0.67 4.17 E 0.75 4.33 E 0.71 5. There is an orientation of the HTE to the student interns about their standard rules and regulations. 4.57 HE 0.66 4.50 HE 0.84 4.54 HE 0.75 6. The confidentiality of the data, business, or trade secrets of the HTE is maintained. 4.17 E 0.99 4.17 E 0.98 4.17 E 0.99 7. The allotted time of internship program is sufficient. 4.19 E 1.03 4.17 E 0.98 4.18 E 1.00 8. The employers, supervisors, and cooperating staff of the HTE are accommodating and good facilitators of authentic learning. 4.33 E 0.70 4.17 E 0.75 4.25 E 0.73 9. The facilities utilized during the internship program are adequate and functional. 4.24 E 0.70 3.83 E 0.75 4.04 E 0.73 10. The assignment of schedule within the internship proper is systematic and effective. 4.30 E 0.66 3.83 E 0.75 4.06 E 0.71 11. The internship plan is executed well. 4.30 E 0.66 4.17 E 0.75 4.23 E 0.71 12. The existing rules and regulations of the HTE are adhered to and followed correctly. 4.33 E 0.70 4.00 E 0.63 4.17 E 0.67 COMPOSITE MEAN 4.33 E 0.77 4.14 E 0.79 4.23 E 0.78 Legend: 4.50 – 5.00 = Highly Effective (HE); 3.50 – 4.49 = Effective (E); 2.50 – 3.49 = Moderately Effective (ME); 1.50 – 2.49 = Less Effective (LE); 1.00 – 1.49 = Not Effective (NE) in Table 4. This implies that the respondents rated the implementation of the SIPP in terms of obligations and responsibilities as effective with a composite mean of 4.23 and an SD of 0.78. Although, all indicators were rated as “effective” by the respondents, one indicator, “There is an orientation of the HTE to the student interns about their standard rules and regulations”, received the highest rating as to effectiveness with a combined mean of 4.54 and an SD of 0.75. This implies that the HTEs are doing their obligation to orient the student-interns before letting them proceed to their workloads. On the other hand, the indicator, “The facilities utilized during the internship program are adequate and functional”, received the lowest rating as to effectiveness with a combined mean of 4.04 and an SD of 0.73. This implies that the facilities are not adequate and functional although this indicator rated “effective”. As a matter of fact, one respondent from the student-interns on the problems met on the implementation of the SIPP answered: “The issue is lack of facilities and other things that the students needed” Table 5 shows the effectiveness of the implementation of SIPP in terms of monitoring and evaluation. The data implies that the respondents rated the implementation of the SIPP in terms of monitoring and evaluation as effective with a composite mean of 4.25 and an SD of 0.80. The indicator, “The final grade of student interns is issued upon completion of the requirements within the prescribed period”, received the highest rating as to effectiveness with a combined mean of 4.55 and an SD of 0.74. This implies that the coordinators give final grades to the student interns within the prescribed period. Although all indicators were rated as “effective”, the indicators, “The internship venues and sites is inspected https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 78 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 by the SIPP coordinator regularly” and “Journal for an internship is submitted on time”, received the lowest rating as to the effectiveness with a combined mean of 4.04 and 4.01 and an SD of 0.96 and 0.76, respectively. This implies that internship venues are not regularly inspected/visited by the coordinators and there is insufficient time for the submission of requirements. As a matter of fact, two respondents from the student-interns on the problems met on the implementation of the SIPP answered: “Visitation/inspection of the SIPP coordinator from the student and venue are not done regularly.” “I think it is more on the manpower and/or extension in a way that the program implementation would be maximized. What we encountered is the maximization of the coordinator’s capacity to fully monitor all internship sites. It is quite a difficulty on our coordinator’s part to be in 2 different places at once.” Yet, three respondents from the coordinators with respect to this indicator answered: “Mobility on the monitoring. No official vehicle to use in conducting visits to the HTE.” “Lack of support from the administration in terms of using the university vehicles in deployment and monitoring of the interns.” “There is no support (Transportation allowance, Load allowance given to the SIPP coordinators which affect his duty to monitor and establish immediate response to interns concerns).” This result strengthened the study of Marsono, Sugandi, Tuwoso, and Purnomo (2017) which recommended that to improve the competence of the internship program, industries, and schools should give the students the opportunity to finish their job with more than one supervisor for regular monitoring. In the other indicator, one respondent from the student- interns answered: “Insufficient time for those who are in the internship like there are many activities but lack of time that also affect time management.” Table 6 shows the effectiveness of the implementation of SIPP in terms of grievance machinery. Although the indicators received a combined rating of “effective”, the coordinators rated them as “moderately effective”. This means that the student-interns may not be aware on the implementation of the grievance machinery as part of the SIPP or it could also be that the student-interns were not able to experience problems which need the help from the Grievance Committee on SIPP of the University. Yet, one respondent from the coordinators answered: “The Grievance committee is not well established so the complaints are not addressed most of the time.” In summation, the student-interns and the coordinators perceived the implementation of the SIPP as “effective”. It is due to the fact that they have rated each indicators as “effective” to wit; conducted relevant activities (M = 4.07, SD = 0.91), obligations and responsibilities (M = 4.23, SD = 0.78), monitoring and evaluation (M = 4.25, SD = 0.80), and grievance machinery (M = 3.63, SD = 0.93). Appropriately, some of the indicators received low ratings Table 5: Effectiveness of SIPP in terms of Monitoring and Evaluation INDICATOR Student Interns SIPP Coordinator TOTAL M Int SD M Int SD M Int SD 1. Feedback mechanism/s of the HTE is provided to the student interns. 4.35 E 0.76 4.17 E 0.75 4.26 E 0.76 2. Journal for an internship is submitted on time. 4.35 E 0.70 3.67 E 0.81 4.01 E 0.76 3. Exit assessment, post-training review, or evaluation is conducted for the student interns. 4.24 E 0.76 4.17 E 1.12 4.21 E 0.94 4. The student interns in their respective HTEs are regularly monitored by the Internship/SIPP Coordinator. 4.19 E 0.89 4.67 HE 0.52 4.43 E 0.71 5. The initial and regular visit/inspection of the HTE for student interns is conducted. 4.06 E 0.88 4.50 HE 0.55 4.28 E 0.72 6. The internship venues and sites are inspected by the SIPP coordinator regularly. 4.17 E 0.94 3.91 E 0.98 4.04 E 0.96 7. Student interns’ progress and performance are evaluated through oral and written observations, monthly reports, and interviews or conferences. 4.26 E 0.81 4.17 E 0.75 4.21 E 0.78 8. The final grade of student interns is issued upon completion of the requirements within the prescribed period. 4.59 HE 0.63 4.50 HE 0.84 4.55 HE 0.74 Legend: 4.50 – 5.00 = Highly Effective (HE); 3.50 – 4.49 = Effective (E); 2.50 – 3.49 = Moderately Effective (ME); 1.50 – 2.49 = Less Effective (LE); 1.00 – 1.49 = Not Effective (NE) Table 6: Effectiveness of SIPP in terms of Grievance Machinery INDICATOR Student Interns SIPP Coordinator TOTAL M Int SD M Int SD M Int SD 29. The University SIPP Grievance Committee is established. 4.15 E 0.92 3.00 ME 1.10 3.58 E 1.01 30. Appropriate action on complaints with reference to SIPP is evident and ensured. 4.20 E 0.76 3.17 ME 0.93 3.69 E 0.85 COMPOSITE MEAN 4.18 E 0.84 3.09 ME 1.02 3.63 E 0.93 Legend: 4.50 – 5.00 = Highly Effective (HE); 3.50 – 4.49 = Effective (E); 2.50 – 3.49 = Moderately Effective (ME); 1.50 – 2.49 = Less Effective (LE); 1.00 – 1.49 = Not Effective (NE) https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 79 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 1(3) 72-80, 2022 that need to be improved. To determine the significant mean difference between the perceptions of the SIPP coordinators and the student- interns themselves on the on the effectiveness of the implementation of SIPP, t-test for two independent samples was used. Table 7 presented the result. The indicators on the obligations and responsibilities (t = 2.33, p = 0.010), and grievance machinery (t = 12.30, p = 0.003) resulted to the rejection of null hypothesis. Overall, the data disclose that there is a significant difference in the perceptions of the SIPP coordinators and the student-interns themselves of 0.20 (t = 2.07, p = 0.020). This suggests that the student-interns perceived the implementation as more effective as indicated by their slightly higher ratings compare to the SIPP coordinators’ perception. The result was probably an indication that the student-interns are not aware of the other aspects of the implementation of the SIPP. Some of these aspects might not be vocalized well in their pre-internship orientation. Themes Describing the Problems Met by SIPP Coordinators and Student-Interns on the Implementation of the SIPP Analysis of the responses of the student-interns resulted in the following themes: (1) irregular inspection/monitoring of coordinators; (2) lack of facilities; (3) insufficient time frame for the submission of internship requirement; (4) improper dissemination of guidelines; (5) no proper communication channel; and (6) few choices for HTE. Meanwhile, analysis of their SIPP coordinators’ responses resulted in the following themes: (1) problem with mobility for monitoring; (2) big number of student-interns handled; (3) no training conducted for SIPP coordinators; and (3) not well-established grievance committee. CONCLUSIONS The SIPP coordinators were mostly middle-aged, attained the rank of Assistant Professor, and hold Master’s degrees with no training relevant to the implementation of the SIPP. The College of Management has the highest number of student-interns while the College of Engineering has the lowest number. According to the findings of the study, the combined mean of the SIPP coordinators’ and student interns’ perception of the implementation of the SIPP is 4.05. That means the respondents rated it as “effective”. Moreover, there is a significant difference in the perceptions of the two groups of respondents. Irregular inspection/monitoring of coordinators; lack of facilities; and insufficient time frame for the submission of internship requirements were the top 3 problems encountered by the student interns. Meanwhile, problems with mobility for monitoring; the big number of student-interns handled; no training conducted for SIPP coordinators; and no well-established grievance committee were the problems encountered by the coordinators. Northwest Samar State University may implement more services to ensure effective and efficient implementation of SIPP. The University may consider supporting the coordinators in the supervision mobility by giving load and/or travel allowances to them. The use of university vehicles shall be coordinated well so that attainment of the goals shall be carried over. The grievance committee shall be established and that must be known to the University community together with the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). The University may also consider delegating SIPP coordinators to every Program with Student Internship Course not only one for each college to maximize the supervision and monitoring. Semestral meetings by college SIPP coordinators with representatives of the different HTEs may also be an avenue for a smooth implementation of SIPP. For the internship office, training on the implementation of SIPP to the coordinators may be materialized and executed well. Posting the guidelines in conspicuous places within the University is highly encouraged. The pre-internship orientation shall be upheld and student interns’ rights and responsibilities should be translated well. Excerpts from the University Internship Manual may be included in the Student Handbook for easy access. The SIPP coordinators should consider setting a reasonable time frame for the submission of requirements so that the student-interns will be able to submit the needed requirements on time. A well-structured training/internship schedule should be taken into account by the college coordinators to ensure a smooth transition of activities. The present work may always be followed up by future researchers. REFERENCES Anoyo, J.C., Jimenez, J., Matunog, R., Mendoza, M., Sarmiento, R., Mojares, R. (2015). Factors Affecting Work Performance of Criminology Interns in an Asian University. Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(4), 225-233. https://research.lpubatangas.edu.ph/wp- content/uploads/2015/06/SSSH-Factors-Affecting- Table 7: T-test on the Mean Differences on the Perceptions of the SIPP Coordinators and Student-Interns on the Effectiveness of the Implementation of SIPP EFFECTIVENESS INDICATORS Student-Interns SIPP Coordinators Mean Diff. t-value df p-value M SD M SD A. Conducted Relevant Activities 4.13 0.36 4.00 0.65 0.13 0.51ns 14 0.310 B. Obligations and Responsibilities 4.33 0.13 4.13 0.25 0.20 2.33* 22 0.010 C. Monitoring and Evaluation 4.28 0.16 4.22 0.33 0.06 0.43ns 14 0.340 D. Grievance Machinery 4.18 0.04 3.09 0.12 1.09 12.30** 2 0.003 Overall Mean 4.25 0.23 4.05 0.48 0.20 2.07* 58 0.020 Legend: ** - Highly Significant at 0.05 level, * - Significant at 0.05 level, ns - Not Significant at .05 level (p > .05) https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Pa ge 80 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. 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