21st Century Skills, Parental Involvement: Predictors of Kindergarteners’ Academic Performance

The 21st century has ushered in essential skills and competencies for academic and career success. Simultaneously, parental involvement and effective communication in a child's education have gained significant attention. This study examined the relationship between 21st-century skills, parental involvement, and the academic performance of kindergarteners in public schools in Cagayan de Oro City. Following extensive validation and reliability verification, the study employed questionnaires as the primary instrument within a causal-predictive framework. The sample consisted of 120 kindergarteners who completed a 52-item survey using a 5-point Likert scale. Results showed that the children demonstrated a high level of 21st-century skills (overall M = 4.13, SD = 0.87), with collaboration (M = 4.26, SD = 0.73) and communication (M = 4.14, SD = 0.74) rated highest. Parental involvement was perceived as very high (M = 4.88, SD = 0.42). Academic performance across learning areas was also high (overall M = 2.63, SD = 0.44). Correlation analysis indicated that communication was the only skill significantly related to academic performance (r = .166, p < .085), while other skills and parental involvement were not significant predictors. Regression analysis further identified communication as the best predictor of academic performance (β = .514, p = .083), whereas creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and parental involvement did not show significant predictive value. These findings suggest that communication skills play a pivotal role in supporting the academic success of kindergarteners, underscoring the importance of fostering oral and social communication in early education.