Merging of classes: For assistance or a hindrance?

By Camille Marie Ponce

Efforts are being raised to resolve the issues concerning the quality of education in the Philippines. However, plans may drop its value brought by the detrimental effects which put again the subject at risk.

In spite of exceeding the target number of classrooms built, classroom shortage is still probable in some areas according to Department of Education (DepEd). They added also that this is due to the increase in student population.

Shortage in teachers, which is due to the poor income acquired here in the Philippines, is another predicament.

A study by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2003 states that out of the 45 participants in the Science Achievement test at the 8^th grade level (second year high school in the Philippines), the Philippines ranked 42 which beat Botswana (43), Ghana (44) and Africa (45). Countries topping the performance were Singapore, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Hong Kong and Estonia.

According to Department of Education (DepEd), 75% of those who graduate from public elementary schools cannot read on their own. Antonio Tinio, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said that independent reading is one of the basic skills a person would expect an elementary school graduate to have mastered already.

An alternative being exercised to have the students accommodated is through cross-cutting or merging of classes whereas one teacher would handle students in one session comprising his or her classes in different shifts. Hence, if the teacher or professor has 40 students in the morning and 40 students in the afternoon, he or she will have them mixed into 80 students.

Some professors, including those in well-known colleges and universities would even handle hundreds of students.

As a student, I experienced the same scenario within the institution where I am now at. I am aware of the sentiment of the students and other professors who are having their hard time coping with the large number of students wherein professors could not guide them thoroughly and pay attention to for as much as they want to. Students themselves could not merely comprehend how risky it could be for the quality of education they have. Due to the great number of students in one class, chances are students would not mind doing unnecessary things during lectures. Some of them would just talk, chat with their classmates, and laugh clandestinely when the teacher is not looking.

These are the typical students of this generation and most of them need to be monitored because it is not only the quality of their learning being sacrificed but their parents’ efforts just to send their children in school. If students would not pass, then they will need to repeat with their previous level and sometimes transfer from one school to another.

The government is obviously responsible for the improvement of education in the Philippines, expected to provide budget for the income of the educators and budget for education but unfortunately, it is being overlooked especially now that it is time for election campaign. This is an exemplar to the kind of system we have here in the Philippines. Candidates would always have their advertisements on television, radio and other forms of media during times of election and when it comes to other social problems in our country, the government keeps their eye from it. Is it to pass the crisis to the next leader or is it just not that significant for the rate of their popularity? Hopefully, students would realize for them to feel how vital their minds are in the future.