TALISAY City National High School (TCNHS) continues to grapple with overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of armchairs as its student population grows, forcing some learners to use monoblock chairs, stools, teachers’ tables, or even their laps as writing surfaces.
School principal Jeditho Dela Cuesta said the school has only 46 academic classrooms for approximately 5,600 students, far below the Department of Education’s (DepEd) standard of 45 students per classroom.
“We only have 46 academic classrooms and there are about 5,600 students, and we have the standard sa DepEd na ang every classrooms kay naay ray 45 students,” Dela Cuesta said.
(We only have 46 academic classrooms for about 5,600 students, while the Department of Education’s standard is only 45 students per classroom.)
To maximize the limited number of classrooms, TCNHS implements a shifting schedule, with one group of students attending classes in the morning and another in the afternoon.
“Let us say there are 5,600 students and only 46 classrooms, ang ratio ana kay one classroom for every 122 students. That’s why mag shifting ta, it means half of the 5,000 is in the morning session while the other half is in the afternoon session,” Dela Cuesta added.
(Let us say there are 5,600 students and only 46 classrooms, the ratio is about one classroom for every 122 students. That’s why we implement shifting classes, with half of the students attending in the morning and the other half in the afternoon.)
Even with shifting classes, the average classroom still accommodates around 60 students, exceeding DepEd’s recommended ratio and leaving classrooms congested.
The overcrowding has also resulted in a shortage of armchairs, forcing some students to improvise during class.
Some learners use monoblock chairs or stools without attached writing desks, while others write on their laps or share the teacher’s table.
“Nag lisud kay di ko ka tarong ug suwat, mag butang ra kog book sa akong lap,” said Grade 8 student Mikel Angelo P. Baro.
(It’s difficult because I can’t write properly. I just place my notebook on my lap.)
The cramped conditions also make it difficult for teachers to move around the classroom and monitor students during lessons.
“Ang among gi buhat kay mag spacing mi sa tunga, pero sometimes di man nimo makita kay gamay raman ang space sa classroom,” said Grade 8 teacher Lussel R. Intrina.
(We try to leave space between students, but sometimes it’s difficult to monitor them because the classroom is simply too cramped.)
Intrina said the shortage of armchairs has forced teachers and students to adapt.
Dela Cuesta said constructing additional classrooms remains the most sustainable solution to the school’s overcrowding problem. However, he noted that any expansion would first require an assessment to determine whether the campus still has enough buildable space.
The situation at TCNHS mirrors a nationwide shortage of school facilities. According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2), the country faces a backlog of 165,443 classrooms, with an estimated 5.1 million students studying in overcrowded schools.
In response to classroom shortages, Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas recently signed a Supplemental Memorandum of Agreement between the city government and the Department of Education for the implementation of school infrastructure projects under the 2026 Basic Education Facilities Program.
“Sa pag pili sa schools to build new classrooms, DepEd prioritized schools based on the highest student-to-classroom ratio, meaning ang mga eskwelahan nga pinakakulang ug classrooms kumpara sa gidaghanon sa ilang mga estudyante ang giuna,” Gullas said in a Facebook post.
(In selecting schools for new classroom construction, the Department of Education prioritized those with the highest student-to-classroom ratios, meaning schools with the greatest classroom shortages relative to their student population were given priority.)
While the agreement offers hope for additional school buildings, students and teachers at TCNHS continue to cope with overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of armchairs as they wait for long-term infrastructure improvements. (Cristian Hames B. Repuela and Athena Jamila R. Recto)