Perennial problems mark class opening
MANILA -- Overcrowded public schools and traffic jams hounded the formal opening of classes Tuesday, though the Department of Education (DepEd) insisted these were just “temporary” inconveniences.
Education Secretary Mona Valisno personally encountered the problem when she visited Nangka Elementary School in Marikina and Don Alejandro Roces Sr. School and Technical High School in Quezon City.
Parents bewailed of the 120 pupils crammed in a single classroom at Payatas-B Elementary School in Quezon City, while Rosa Susano Elementary School in Novaliches reported that 5,000 students attended the morning shift of classes.
The same problem was encountered at the Baclaran Elementary School. Worse, students had to cope with garbage and vendors near the school despite the effort of the local government to keep the school premises free of any obstruction.
At the Rizal High School in Caniogan in Pasig, one of the country’s largest high schools in terms of population (8,847), students have to cope with broken windows and chairs.
Valisno also noted of the similar problems in other regions following a teleconference with regional directors Recaredo Borgonia and Susana Teresa Estigoy of Central Visayas and Davao Region, respectively.
Though she admitted that there are problems like the shortage of classrooms, she said teachers are prepared to handle such a big number of students.
The DepEd said there are 23.43 million schoolchildren who trooped to schools nationwide for the opening of classes Tuesday.
In Metro Manila alone, DepEd-National Capital Region (NCR) Director Flordeliza Magday said 1.963 million attended public schools and another 592,345 in the private sector.
Security
Pasig police chief Jessie Cardona said they have deployed 200 policemen to secure the opening of classes in the city.
In southern Metro Manila, police director Arni De Los Santos said no major crimes were reported as they stepped up security measures including the deployment of additional foot and mobile patrols in front of the schools.
The Southern Police District covered the cities of Makati, Pasay, Paranaque, Taguig, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa and the lone municipality of Pateros.
NCRPO Public Information Office chief Rommel Miranda said they have deployed about 8,000 policemen to secure the opening of classes.
Anti-narcotics agents in Northern Mindanao also monitor illegal drug peddlers that flock to schools to victimize students, said Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency regional director Gilberto Abanto Jr.
PDEA Director-General Dionisio Santiago said illegal drug activities might increase with the opening of classes as drug pushers herd school-to-school to sell illegal drugs to high school and college students.
Security was also tight in some school in Lapu-Lapu City to thwart attempts by fraternity members to recruit students.
Maximum of two policemen were detailed in each schools in the city, according to Acting City Police Director Mariano Natuel.
Class shifting
The DepEd said only three secondary schools in the NCR are implementing three-shift classes, namely, the Antonio Villegas High School, Nolasco High School and the Ramon Magsaysay High School.
In the elementary level, 47 schools are still having three-shifts with an average classroom-to-student ratio at 1:70.
To meet the ideal ratio, she said they need to construct 3,000 more classrooms to add to the existing 15,821 (elementary) and 8,692 in the secondary level in the NCR.
In Mandaue City, City Administrative Officer Benjamin Tiongzon said City Government might resort to the double-shift class schedule and require late enrollees to bring their own chairs to school.
There will be classes from 6 a.m. to noon and another batch will use the classrooms from noon to 6 p.m.
Mandaue City has 27 elementary schools and 21 secondary schools.
Tiongson said they are expecting a 20 to 30 percent increase in enrollees this year.
Last year, the city’s public schools accommodated 52,586 elementary and high school students. They expect an additional 10,000 to 15,000 increase this year.
He noted there were a lot of transferees from private schools and other school divisions.
Wild diseases
In an advisory released Tuesday, the Department of Health (DOH) reminded school officials and students to be to be vigilant against the so-called “Wild diseases” during the rainy season and make school premises free from such risks.
The DOH said that such diseases include Water-borne diseases, Influenza, Leptospirosis and Dengue (Wild).
DOH Central Luzon Regional Director Rio Magpantay is also urging school officials to clean surroundings to remove possible breading grounds for mosquitoes.
The health agency is also prescribing the use of insecticide treated curtains to prevent mosquitoes from invading classrooms.
Magpantay said that dengue-carrying mosquitoes are day-biting mosquitoes and a curtain is an appropriate instrument to protect the pupils and students from mosquitoes while they are in school.
The DOH is also reminding school officials to come up with their own clean-up programs and health campaigns to promote good health among students. (AH/OCP/AIV/GC/Sun.Star Cebu/Anabelle L. Ricalde of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Ian Flora of Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)