TThe Bohol and city divisions of schools were anticipating that the usual problems of classrooms and teachers' shortages are sure to crop up but nonetheless it was ready to mitigate their impact as classes in all levels opens tomorrow. Bohol Schools Division Superintendent Elpidio Jala made the assurance as his office is prepared for "back-to-school opening blues". As early as last week, Supt. Jala called a meeting to all school principals to sound them of any other problem than the usual ones. As in previous opening of classes, the same old, familiar problem of classroom and teachers lack is sure to rear its ugly head and the one tomorrow is no exception. As to the teachers' shortage, Dr. Jala said, the latest inventory showed that Bohol lack 737 teachers. As to classrooms, any shortfall will be lessen with the authority to allow double shift in classes. This means one shift in the morning and another in the afternoon.

However, in case the double shift solution is not sufficient, classes can be held in empty barangay halls. There was no mention that classes can be held under the shade of trees, but some far-flung barangays where classroom shortage is more prevalent , this situation becomes commonplace. As usual, an exodus of pupils and students of public elementary and secondary levels are expected to troop in their respective schools tomorrow. School authorities are predicting an increase in enrollment as in the usual case every schools open. Students opting to take their education in private schools will likewise beat their own school opening of classes.

One possibility is that with the present economic downturn, students who were in private schools last school year will form a beehive to enroll in public schools, whatever level they may be. According to DepEd estimates, this year's enrollees will reach as many as 183,149 and 68,562 in elementary and secondary, respectively, under the Bohol division. It was not immediately known how many enrollees would be in Tagbilaran City division. "The biting reality, such as lack of school rooms, dilapidated chairs and teachers, still rings true today", said Dr. Jala. He was the guest during the monthly program "Alarma" courtesy of the Bohol Tri-Media Association held at the Cooperative Bank of Bohol , this city. More than a hundred percent of public schools still need help and improvement in physical infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of enrollees this year. DepEd is addressing these problems, Jala added.

Classes "under the trees"

Jala admitted there may still be classes that might be held outside the school, if not under the trees, just to accommodate the enrollees especially so that there'll be new school opening in the LGUs or additional grades, such as grades five and six. DepEd planning officer II Amelia Cortidos confirmed, in a separate interview, that it was expected that there'll be classes held in "makeshift" structures because of the increasing number of pupils enrolled this school year. Per statistics the minimum number of pupils in each class is 60 in grades 5 and 6, and 40 in grades one to four, based on DepEd a general order. And that is the direction but "I'm very sure that it will not be realized," Jala said. But he admitted there are classes that would reach as many as 80 and some 60 in some instances.

Comparative Enrolment

Based on the enrolment last school year (2008-2009) under the Bohol division, it was expected that the enrollees would reach as many as 183,149 in elementary for 923 schools. An estimated 68,562 enrollees for high school using a total of 122 schools in the entire province with at least 5% increase annually. There were a total of 167,484 enrollees in elementary and 62,199 in high school in 2007-2008 and in last school-year, 168,207 (pupils) and 64,949 (students) in elementary and secondary, respectively. Dropout rates declined dramatically both in elementary and secondary levels. In school year 2005-2006, DepEd posted a 3.33% for elementary and 8.16% in secondary, based on its records. This dropped to 2.81% for elementary and 6.58% for secondary in 2006-2007; 2.64% for elementary and 5.71% for secondary in 2007-2008. There were no data available for last school year's. Dropouts usually cropped up due to "feud" between the teachers and the students, Jala said when asked why students quit schools. Another, he said, is the incidence of poverty and what he called "bad influence" or "bugoy-bugoy" with out-school youths. This is where the DepEd devised some interventions, such as the "family mapping" or home visitation to encourage parents to enroll their children, said Cortidos. She said this prompted the DepEd to impose a no-collection of fees or contribution from parents and non-compulsory of wearing of uniforms because this is usually used as an excuse by parents not to send their children to school. All contributions, including girl scouts, boy scouts and red cross, must be voluntary, except those sanctioned by Parents Teachers Association or agreed upon the parents themselves, she said.

LGUs INTERVENTION

One of the lapses that DepEd is confronting is the so-called "resource gap" in terms of personnel salary of teachers. This is where the local government units come in by shouldering the salary pay of some teachers through its mandated Special Education Fund (SEF). If there's lack of teachers, LGUs will provide, said Jala. This year only a handful of teacher positions are available. Teacher heads are only numbering about 737, including "mobile teachers" that take care of "alternative learning system." Four hundred sixty-three (463) of these (737) are hired and paid by the LGUs. The provincial school board is paying 202 teachers, said Jala. There will be additional teachers needed for increasing number of enrollees, he said. If there will be new schools erected and opened this school year, the LGUs vowed to support them. And the municipal mayors are very cooperative and supportive in this endeavor, he said. According to Cortidos, there are about 7,781 teaching force in Bohol division, including non-teaching personnel and head teachers. Of these are 5,393 school teachers in last school-year, 5,314 in 2007-2008; 5,317 in 2006-2007; and 5,307 in 2005-2006 under the Bohol division.

NO SCHOOL FEE

Dr. Jala also made it clear that as classes open, higher DepEd authorities reminded the chiefs of the Bohol and city divisions to display prominently in conspicuous places within the school premises the following announcements:

1. No collection of school fees/contributions

2. Optional student uniforms