DESPITE facing a shortage of classrooms and teachers, schools in Mandaue City are fully prepared for the new school year set to begin this July 29, 2024, said an official of the Department of Education (DepEd) Mandaue City Division.
Meanwhile, some students in Guizo Elementary School (ES) will resort to temporary blended modular learning.
Over 52,000 students have already enrolled in Mandaue City public schools as of Thursday, July 25, 2024, with the number steadily increasing, said DepEd Mandaue Administrative Officer Edgar Espina, in an interview on Thursday.
Based on last school year, five schools in Mandaue City implemented two to three class shifts, each lasting four hours, to accommodate a large number of students. These schools are Mandaue Comprehensive National High School (NHS), Paknaan NHS, Cabancalan NHS, Guizo ES, and Basak ES.
This could still be the situation this school year.
Due to overcrowding issues, Espina did not yet provide detailed figures on the student-to-classroom ratio per school.
Lack of teachers
He added that as of July 25, a total of 29,456 elementary students and 22,986 high school students have enrolled.
Mandaue City accommodates these students across 49 public schools, which include 27 elementary and 22 secondary learning institutions.
Espina noted a lack of teachers to sufficiently match the number of students; at present, the city only has 2,755 teachers to handle the over 52,000 students.
Espina, however, said the classrooms are fully prepared; although, they still require assistance from parents in some schools.
“The DepEd Mandaue Division and all principals are already set for the opening classes for July 29, except sa (for the) Guizo Elementary School,” said Espina.
Blended modular learning
Nine classrooms in Guizo ES have been temporarily designated as evacuation centers for some 100 families displaced by the fire on Friday, July 19.
To accommodate this situation, the enrolled students from grades one to five will switch to a blended modular learning format for one week.
Only the grade six students will continue with face-to-face classes since their classrooms are not being used for evacuation, said Espina.
The “Brigada Eskwela” initiative, which began on July 22, has seen parents help clean and prepare classrooms, contributing to the school’s readiness.
Espina said final preparations include ensuring that classrooms and facilities comply with safe standards and protocols to protect students’ well-being.
Espina also urged those who have not yet enrolled to do so promptly. Although the initial enrollment deadline was July 26, it has been extended to the first week of classes to accommodate late enrollees.
He advised against waiting until the last minute to avoid complications.
Espina expressed confidence in the city’s readiness for the upcoming school year, despite the classroom shortages. She also thanked the community for their ongoing support in ensuring a smooth start to the academic year. / CAV