Legarda proposes 35-student standard, 50-student per class maximum

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Loren Legarda is seeking to limit class sizes in public schools, proposing a standard of 35 students and a maximum of 50 learners per room to help improve teaching and learning conditions.

“Hindi lamang numero ang usapin dito. Kapag napakaraming mag-aaral sa isang classroom, mas nahihirapan ang guro na mabigyan ng sapat na oras at atensyon ang bawat bata. Apektado ang kalidad ng pagtuturo at pagkatuto,” Legarda said in a press release on Thursday.

(It’s not just about the numbers. When there are too many students in a classroom, it becomes more difficult for teachers to give each child enough time and attention. The quality of teaching and learning is affected.)

Under Senate Bill No. 2397, or the proposed Public School Class Size Act filed on Aug. 12, no class handled by a single classroom teacher would be allowed to exceed 50 students upon full implementation of the measure.

READ: DepEd completes partnerships with provinces to ease classroom shortage

Classes with up to 35 learners would be considered standard, while those with 36 to 50 students would be classified as “large classes.”

Taking into account existing shortages in classrooms, teachers, and other learning facilities, the proposed limits would be implemented gradually over five school years.

In the bill’s explanatory note, Legarda noted classroom congestion is especially pronounced in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Soccsksargen, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regions.

“A reasonable class size policy is necessary to make quality education more achievable in actual classroom conditions,” Legarda said.

If acted into law, teachers handling large classes will also be given extra 1 percent of their daily salary for every learner in addition to the 35-student standard. /jpv