STUDENTS and teachers of Sta. Cruz Senior National High School in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, celebrated a major boost in learning space on Friday, January 23, 2026, with the turnover of a new three-classroom school building worth nearly ₱5 million.
The completion of the additional classrooms aims to ease overcrowding and provide more organized, comfortable, and conducive spaces for teaching and learning, a need that many public schools across the country continue to face.
“This infrastructure project reflects the province’s steadfast commitment to strengthen basic education and ensure that our learners are provided with safe, adequate, and child-friendly spaces,” said Ryan C. Nalam, principal of Sta. Cruz National High School (Senior High), during the turnover ceremony.
Led by Gov. Yvonne Roña Cagas and Vice Gov. Marc Cagas, also present the turnover were 1st District Board Members Rey Ayo, Rey Aballe, Shiela Cagas, and Marla Almendras, showing provincial support for strengthening basic education.
“We are here in Sta. Cruz Senior High School, a seat of education, the seat of development for our students. It is of utmost importance that we do not only aim to develop our students academically, but we should teach our children, including ourselves, the value of good morals,” Vice Gov. Cagas said.
Why classrooms matter for learning
Education experts and research consistently underline that the physical learning environment directly affects student outcomes.
According to studies from Walden University, adequate classroom space improves academic focus and reduces distractions, allowing teachers to engage with students more effectively. Overcrowded classrooms have been linked to poorer learning outcomes, greater noise and behavioural disruptions, and reduced opportunity for individualized instruction. Teachers in classes with too many students often spend more time managing behaviour and less time teaching core subject matter.
Aside from that, well-designed classrooms support motivation, comfort, and engagement. Research shows that classroom features such as space, lighting, temperature control, and layout can influence student concentration and participation, factors that can affect academic performance and overall wellbeing.
Based on previous news reports, there is a large classroom deficit in public schools in the Philippines, with the Department of Education estimating a need for tens of thousands more classrooms to fully support K-12 instruction without resorting to shift systems or shared learning spaces.
In some schools across the Philippines, overcrowding has led to multiple class shifts and crammed conditions, where individual students struggle to receive attention or find space to engage fully in learning activities.
Supporting provincial and national goals
The turnover of the classroom building at Sta. Cruz Senior NHS reflects broader efforts by local governments to partner with the education sector in tackling the classroom shortage.
“Students deserve learning spaces that match the quality of education we aim to provide,” Principal Nalam reiterated, stressing that infrastructure improvements also support teacher performance and morale.
Vice Gov. Cagas highlighted that education is not just about academic achievement but also about molding values and character, goals made easier when students learn in environments that respect their dignity and comfort. CEA