An estimated 27,757,546 students from kindergarten to high school troop back to public and private schools across the country for the first day of classes today, June 4. Many of whom brave the usual problems of shortage of teachers, classrooms and other facilities.
There are still more late enrollees who are expected to catch up until the end of June.
In public schools, the Department of Education (DepEd) said that the projected enrollment for Kindergarten is 2, 637, 351. For Elementary or Grades 1-6 is 12, 663, 690; for Junior High School or Grades 7-10 is 6, 711, and 367; and for Senior High School (SHS) is 1, 451, 267.
In private schools, projected enrollment is 311, 257 (Kinder); 1, 194, 755 (Elementary); 1, 366, 741 (JHS) & 1, 268, 131 (SHS). In SUCs/LUCs, projected enrollment is 1, 262 (Kindergarten); 9, 374 (Elementary); 48, 131 (JHS); and 94, 220 (SHS).
To accommodate all enrollees this year, many public schools in the National Capital Region will still take on two shifts in a bid to distribute the throngs of students.
In the largest student population in Metro Manila, 13,000 students will have to brave 178 cramped classrooms for now at Parañaque National High School. This means there are 73 students in every classroom (1:73).
WATCH: Sitwasyon sa Parañaque National High School na may pinakamalaking bilang ng estudyante sa buong Pilipinas ngayong #BalikEskwela2018 | via RH27 @nochecacas #DZRHNationwide @DepEd_PH @ILoveParanaque @ParacelisMPS pic.twitter.com/T6YGaXwlzh
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) June 4, 2018
ACT Teacher’s party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said 18,000 classrooms are needed in Metro Manila alone, to bring the ratio of students per classroom to 1: 50 or 1:60.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde reminded students to refrain from talking to strangers to avoid incidents of kidnapping.
Photo credit: Dennis Sabangan/EPA
