NEGROS Occidental Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Portia Mallorca said there was a high turnout of both students and teachers during the first day of classes Monday, June 4.
Mallorca said that despite the usual problem on the shortage of classrooms, the classes went on smoothly.
"We have foreseen that already because there are still several classrooms that are under construction. The classroom constructions have started in 2016 but only a few are complete," Mallorca said.
She also said the increase of Grade 7 students this school year is one of the reasons for the classroom shortage.
In seven schools that she visited Monday, Mallorca said the increase in Grade 7 is from 10 to 20 percent.
There are schools in the previous year that have 800 Grade 7 students but now, it has increased to 1,200. Some schools have 1,300 in the previous year but now they already have 1,500 to 1,700 Grade 7 students.
Mallorca said Grade 7 students now are the first batch who has started in kindergarten under the K to 12 program.
"They are the transition Grade 7 students because of our policy that no child should be left behind," she said.
Meanwhile, Mallorca said that enrollment for public schools, both in elementary and high school, is still ongoing.
"We are going to submit our list of enrollees to the national office on July 30 so they can still enroll before July 30," she added.
In Bacolod City, Schools Division Superintendent Cynthia Demavivas said the opening of classes went on smoothly except in the two newly established schools, which are the extension of Education and Training Center School (ETCS) located in Barangay 35.
The plan, she said, is to name the school as Bacolod City Elementary School. It has been operating since last school year where spillover of ETCS I, II and III was enrolled there. The school is a replica of the Bacolod City Government Center.
Demavivas said they are processing the documents of the school to establish it as a new institution and to be issued by the Department of Education (DepEd) of its school identification card.
"With the school buildings in place and enrollees, I am sure that DepEd will approve it," she said.
Demavivas also said that shortage of chairs was addressed Monday at the Vista Alegre Elementary School because of the establishment of Progreso National High School.
The school, she said, is now using the two classrooms of Vista Alegre Elementary School.
It has Grade 7 with four sections and Grade 8 with three sections.
Demavivas said the shortage in chairs of Vista Alegre Elementary School was addressed immediately Monday as they borrowed chairs from other schools.
The Bacolod City Government is planning to build 15 new classrooms for the school because its enrollees are expected to increase, Demavivas added.
She also said they are expecting late enrollees in the coming days.