A sharp increase in enrollees and unfinished construction of classrooms have resulted in shortened classes and two class shifts a day in Tisa II Elementary School in Cebu City.
In Mabolo Elementary School, six classrooms used by kindergarten and grade 1 classes are up for demolition because it is located in a flood prone area.
According to Tisa II Elementary School principal Jeralyn Rico, the first batch of classes starts at 6:15 a.m. and finishes at 12:15 p.m. while the second batch of classes will start at 12:15 pm and ends at 6:15 pm.
“If the allotted time for each subject is 1 hour, we will reduce it to 50 minutes to accomodate all the subjects,” Rico said.
This year’s enrollment in Rico’s school increased from 3,400 pupils last school year to 4,055 as of June 5 this year.
Compounding their problem is the unfinished construction of a 32-classroom building.
The school’s 41 classrooms cannot accommodate all the classes, she added.
“We actually expected the new school building to be finished last month but, I don’t know what happened or why until now the construction is still ongoing,” Rico admitted.
Ideally, each class has only 45 pupils but because of the large umber of enrollees this year, there will be 50 pupils in one classroom, Rico said.
For grade one, classes will have 55 pupils, while grade two and three will have 60 or more, and grade four to six will have 50.
“Once the new building is done, regular classes will follow so, classrooms will no longer be overpopulated and we will resume to normal schedule,” Rico said.
Despite their overpopulation the two schools is still open for late enrolment until June 8 this year.
In Mabolo Elementary School, six kindergarten and grade 1 classes may have to transfer to the school’s covered court. The present classrooms, built in the 1970s, are dilapidated and located in a flood hazard area.
The school’s principal Donald Crisologo said they have already proposed the demolition of these classrooms and the construction of new classrooms in a safer location.
No timeframe has been set, however.
On the other hand, some parents of pupils in Tisa II Elementary School are amenable with the revised school schedule.
Cerela Mabitad, whose children are studying in the school, said the revised class schedules are fine with her.
“Okay ra man na. Dili bitaw ni pirmi. Basta mahuman na ang school building, dili na man na mahitabo ang emergency classes. (There’s no problem about it because sooner or later the new school building will be finished. Once it’s done, regular classes will follow)” Mabitad said.
Her children are used to waking up early . That’s why Mabitad doesn’t have any problem with their early classes.
Another parent, Roger Ducay, said he believes his grade 1 son Daniel Mark doesn’t have any problem with his classroom and schedule.
“Sa akong na-obserbaran niya, bisag daghan sila sa room, okay ra man niya. Wala man siya alimut-i (So far, he said he was okay and he was just comfortable in his classroom even if it is overpopulated.)” Ducay said.
Ducay a seaman, decided to enroll his son in a public school after he got sick.
“He plans to retire soon due to a spine injury.
“I enrolled my son here since this is nearer our house and cheaper as well,” Ducay said.
Ducay said he’s aware the quality of education in the public school is not at par with private schools.