Concerns of the new school opening

THERE was a fairly orderly school opening this year. The Deped 11 spokesperson said that opening of classes from Kinder to Senior High School went well in both public and private schools. Some private schools opted to follow the new Calendar starting classes in August and ending in May. The total number of enrollees is 1.35 million students from kindergarten to Senior High School. Based on the first day data, 1.16 million are in the public schools and 196.298 are in private schools.

The school opening is faced with the perennial problems met every year. The total budget for funding in a fiscal year gives top priority to Education. The overall planning of concerned agencies show lack of foresights, which happen every year. There are lack of schools and classrooms in different regions of the country. The dream of having a school in all barangays and hinderlands is never fulfilled. I saw a news release where a nicely built, freshly painted school was submerged in flood waters for two years already. Grass and shrubs are like a mini forest around the school, a breeding ground of mosquitoes and other pests. Why did the concerned officials not dismantle the school and save the whole from rotting. This brings to mind what is paramount in looking for ideal school sights. They should be flood free areas, not prone to erosion and landslides.

Every school year, sites are determined but many obstacles are on the plan including buying the property from legal owners. The solution is to look for government owned lands.

The planning board should study the early and late insights on the viability of the school building. Some are so far, students have to wade in shallow swamps or they even swim. Some cross man-made rope bridges with ropes on both sides to hold on. I was so thankful when a philantrophist donated the yellow boats the students can use. Some students have to walk through wooded winding roads with their sandal slippers and heavy bags on their backs. There is the great sacrifice of teachers who carrying their teaching paraphernalia ride in motorcycles called “Habal Habal” to the natives. They pay the charge for the ride to their school.

The remedy here is for some women residents of these places to study as teachers. This is needed especially in mountain areas where indigenous tribes live and have need for being taught their customs and traditions.

The “Brigada Eskwela” is a very commendable policy. Teachers, students, parents cooperate in putting the school in order for the opening of the school year. Right now there are incidental serious problems met- one example is the Marawi siege, other schools become evacuation areas after disasters as fires and like in Albay, the people affected by the eruption of Mayon volcano are also affected.

The passing of the law in free education for public schools and SLUs is a very welcome legislation. No school may charge fees unless they get written permits from the Deped office.

The felt problem at present is the “perrenial, lack of classrooms”. Imagine, one standard classroom good for 40 students is divided into two. Plywood walls are placed to do this. We saw crowded classrooms with every student using a fan for lack of ventilation. Better schools have ceiling fans installed.

Student concerns and their solutions must be planned. For practical purposes school uniforms are required. Uniforms’ colors and sturdy fabrics with the seal on the breast are the best. Street clothes will not have these advantages. Black shoes and white socks are required. Short decent haircuts are required, too. With the strict vigilance in the dangers of drug addiction only the DOH (Department of Health) can do the drug tests in schools and not PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforsement Agency). For safety purposes, schools are given a curriculum on Traffic rules. The students must know the meaning of Road Signs. Rules like not using gadgets as IPhone while driving must be obeyed. Speed limits are to be followed to avoid accidents. Nose in; nose out courtesy must be heeded to avoid accidents. Road rage is to be avoided, which leads to committing crimes.

All vehicles must respect the law in students’ discount in their fares at all times, even vacation time. No students may ride on the vehicle’s plank hanging on to it while traveling. For all students, ignorance of the law is not an excuse when you do something wrong. For comments text mobile no. 09202112534.