Excess public school enrollees in QC district assured of accommodation

Dr. Corazon Rubio: Assurance

MANILA, Philippines—Students in Quezon City schools that are expected to have an excess in enrollees, can be accommodated in nearby public schools when classes officially open in June.

The 10 schools that may have more enrollees this year are all located at District 2, the most populated area.

In a statement, city schools superintendent Dr. Corazon Rubio said District 2 also has the most number of students enrolled in the city’s public school system.

The accommodation of students in less populated schools is part of efforts to address the problem of classroom congestion and enrolment overflow next month.

City mayor Herbert Bautista noted that the city government will be continually hard-pressed to construct more school buildings in District 2, which accounts for more than 60 percent of Quezon City’s entire student population.

The 10 schools projected to exceed their enrollment capacity are: President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School, Payatas B Elementary School, Lupang Pangako Elementary School, San Diego Elementary School and Benigno Aquino Elementary School, for the elementary level; and the Batasan Hills National High School, Commonwealth High School, Holy Spirit National High School, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma High School and the Judge Feliciano Belmonte Jr. High School, for the secondary level.

Sample figures from the Quezon City government showed that for the high school level at least, the excess in enrollment capacity in all five schools is pegged at 7,383 students.

Of the five high schools, the Batasan National High School can accommodate the most number of students at 11,460 but enrollment is expected to reach 13,143.

In the secondary level, the division of city schools had considered implementing alternative intervention programs such as open high school program, home study program and alternative learning system.

Assistant schools division superintendent Rowena Cacanindin said all learning programs recommended by the Department of Education will use conventional modules and an electronic learning management system in delivering the lessons and managing the learning group.

Target beneficiaries of the programs include learners beyond school age, repeaters, possible drop-outs, teenage parents, working parents, working students and learners with health problems.

For the elementary level, excess enrollees at Payatas B Elementary School and Lupang Pangako Elementary School will be accommodated at Payatas C Elementary School.

Two mobile classrooms will be set up at President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School until a new four-story, 24-classroom school building is completed there.

Officials are negotiating with barangay (village) officials of Barangay Batasan Hills for the use of the homeowners’ association building for holding kinder classes.

The division of city schools is also mulling the adoption of a transportation coupon system that will provide free transport services to students from overpopulated schools to their new schools.

The city government will provide free shuttle system so as not to put additional financial burden to the students’ families.

The division of city schools is also considering night classes to address any classroom shortages that may arise during the full adoption of the K-12 curriculum this school year.