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Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Enrollment down by 1.7%: education department
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
DAVAO CITY -- The forecast that more children will be transferring from private schools to public schools this school year due to rising cost of education was not enough to stall off the decrease noted in the number of enrollment in public schools.
The Department of Education (DepEd) in Southern Mindanao said enrollment in public schools in Southeastern Mindanao for school year 2006-2007 decreased by around 1.7 percent.
DepEd officer Diamar Kadon did not, however, provide the exact figure for the total number of enrollees in both public elementary and high schools.
"We have observed that many of our students have not yet enrolled. Like in one of the divisions in Panabo City, we were expecting 1,000 enrollees, but only 200 enrolled," Kadon said during Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao.
Kadon cited two factors for the decrease -- late enrollment and the high cost of school supplies.
"We are still waiting for them to enroll," Kadon said.
He said the first week of classes for public schools was orderly.
Kadon said the orderliness was due to the implemented "Brigada Eskwela," which involved the participation of parents in cleaning and preparing the schools for the opening of classes.
Kadon said the ratio of books for the elementary level is pegged at 1:1 while for the high school level the ratio ranges from 1:2 to 1:3.
He said DepEd is targeting a 1:1 ratio of books for the high school level this school year.
"Some books are still being printed. We are waiting for its completion. Hopefully, they will be arriving before December from Manila," he added.
The ratio of classroom to students in the region is one classroom to 55 to 60 students. The ideal ratio is one classroom to 40 to 45 students.
Kadon said DepEd is addressing the problem in the overcrowding of classrooms as well as the lack of teachers by practicing the double shifting and double grade of teachers.
In double shifting, Kadon said, teachers are holding two sets of classes, one in the morning that will end at 1 p.m. and another one in the afternoon that will end at 6 p.m.
He said teachers are also tasked to handle several grade levels. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(June 13, 2006 issue)
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